Framed
by S.carlett V.on U.ttenburg
Summary: Life and Crime after Eli. "His fat cheeks blushed under his dark complexion and thick dark brown hair. He wondered why he was the only one that didn’t look like her." Lots of EO! Gratuitous sex...eventually.
1. Moses in the Reeds

AN: It's been a long time kids. I've been mad busy and I don't even remember how I was goign to end my old stories, so I'm starting with this one. I wanted to post this on Mothers day, but I go held up. At any rate- i have several chapters almost finished and I know exactly how I want to end this, so this one will end I PROMISE!

That and I'm just dying for some new EO. New EO AH! So have at it. Hope you're all doing well and drop me your thoughts.

**Framed**

"**Moses in the reeds"**

**Stabler Residence**

**May 11, 2016**

**Mother's day**

Eli sat on the worn out living room couch in his Sunday best. His young crystal blue eyes blankly starred at the old family photos strategically placed on the mantel in front of him. The fare faced family in the pictures smiled back. They were the perfect Middle American family adorn in their hand-me-down formal wear and early nineties hair. Mom, Dad, four kids, all blonde, moral, and smiling. Of course things were different now, happy, but different. Eli often found himself wondering what "the old days" felt like. He'd heard of them, but couldn't imagine them. His eyes focused on the picture beside it. Mom, Dad, and a bouncing baby boy. It was his first birthday. His fat cheeks blushed under his dark complexion and thick dark brown hair. He wondered why he was the only one that didn't look like _them._ He wondered if he was even a part of the family in that old photo.

_Stupid, of course you are. Who else would your parents be? Foster care…Aliens…nice strangers… Do I just wish I were special? Stupid._

The house was quiet, except for the running hair dryer in the upstairs bathroom. Eli shook off his thoughts. He'd never even noticed he was different until recently. Heck, until recently, he'd thought he looked just like the mom that had raised him.

It all started in health class.

**Flashback**

_Mrs. Hollis sat on the edge of her desk smiling at Eli's presentation. Her blue eyes and light blonde hair always made him blush._

"_Eli, tell us about your family tree."_

_He cleared his throat and shifted around nervously from one foot to the other as the classroom shifted around in their seats with a comatose expression on their fifth-grade- nothing faces._

"_Well…these are my grandparents. They came from Ireland and Germany. They had kids. That's my dad… mom. My sisters…my brother, Dickie…that's it, I guess."_

_Mrs. Hollis politely grinned and pointed to the sketch of the woman at the bottom of the page._

"_And who's that?"_

_Eli could feel his palms sweating. He hated classroom presentations, and he hated having to talk about...her. Not to mention, Mrs. Hollis gave him butterflies. He swallowed hard trying to find the words to describe a woman he'd never spoken of. His best friend Jimmy Davis silently taunted him with a kissy face and a snicker from behind Mrs. Hollis' back. And Mrs. Hollis smiled at him._

"_You okay?"_

"_Ah…yeah, that's…just more family."_

"_She must be pretty special. She's very detailed."_

_Eli's eyes flickered to the drawing and he blushed…again..and even harder._

"_Yep…she's…she's there too…"_

_The class waited for him to answer, but before he could say it, the bell rang. _

**Flash to now.**

The interrogation was over, but the question remained…Who was this woman. Along with those old photos and the sketch he drew from looking at this particular picture so frequently was all he really knew of her. She was a part of the house, like any other fixture. The photos glared at him again and he stopped himself from leaving the room.

They were all like ghosts. Memories he could faintly remember; outings he would only know through vicarious stories. Wedding photos, baby photos, family portraits, his father at work, fishing trips, baseball games, and soccer camp. They were all a blur to him, even the ones that he'd witnessed.

Aside from his awkward memories and his unusual hair, he knew why his mind was fixed on the mantel. And if someone had found him starring at the one photo he couldn't take his eyes from, he would have felt embarrassed. Yet, there he was…transfixed. She looked like a lovely woman and he could tell from the photo that she and his father loved each other at one time. Her hands rested on his shoulder so naturally.

"Eli, are you ready?"

His mom's voice sounded from the upstairs bathroom. Eli blinked back to reality.

"Eli."

His pre-teen slouch straightened to a standing position as he mumbled towards the ceiling. "Yeah."

The full head of shaggy hair fell over his face as he looked down at his IPod and headed for the front door.

"Let me know when they get here," she cried from upstairs.

The sound of the family mini van's horn could be heard from the street as she called down to him.

"They're here," he mumbled again.

She was running the water in the bathroom.

"Mom," he said a little louder.

"Yes," she sang sweetly from the top of the steps.

"They're here."

"Oh! Okay, give me a second."

Olivia stomped down the staircase in a plain black knee length dress with an arm full of flowers and an earring in her hand.

When she reached Eli, she placed the flowers between her legs and attempted to fix his wooly hair before he could dodge her.

"We should have got your hair trimmed. You're starting to look like a disgruntled middle-schooler."

"It's fine. Stop," he grumbled while fixing earphones to his head and pulling away from her.

Olivia's face sunk in a bit as she grabbed her coat. "Well, at least pull it behind your ears during the memorial service. People want to see your beautiful blue eyes."

"Fine."

She finished putting on her earring in the hallway mirror. Her eyes flickered from her reflection to her stepson as he clicked through his IPod. He was only ten, but he was older than she'd ever imagined him to be. The little boy she'd helped raise and kiss good night everyday for eight and a half years was starting to get a mind of his own.

"E, did you want to say anything today at the ceremony?"

"Huh?"

Olivia took one last look at herself in the hallway mirror as Eli jammed his hands into his suit coat pockets.

"Well, I was thinking," Olivia continued. "You know, she is your real mom…or was your real mom. I know you didn't know her, but I think she would have liked knowing that you had a hand in this. It's nice that the new school is recognizing her good deeds. She was responsible for all of the books in their library at one point. Raised all of the money on her own, you know. She volunteered all of her spare time to reading to foster kids. And she loved you. Maybe a prayer or possibly a brief thanks to the library for naming the building after her. I don't know about you but I think you're old enough to do that kind of thing, if you'd lik…"

"No."

Olivia touched his arm before he could walk out of the door.

"Hey," She pulled an earphone from his ear. "It's okay to feel upset or uncomfortable."

"I'm not upset."

"I'm sure it's hard not knowing your real mother. When I was your age I didn't know who my father was and I questioned myself everyday because of it."

"I know. You've told me a thousand times. I don't want to talk about it."

The silent pause was thunderous.

"Okay," Olivia said with a forced smile. "but if you change your mind-"

"I won't."

"Well, if you do-"

"It's stupid anyway."

The front door opened interrupting Olivia's slow boiling frustration.

Elliot's head poked in towards them. "Let's go. We're gonna be late."

Olivia nodded silently in reply and Eli pulled his hands from his pockets to make a beeline for the door. His I-pod hit the floor, in his pursuit to recklessly avoid the situation. Olivia bent down and lifted the square of metal into his hands. He grabbed it from her and pushed for the screen door.

"Thank you," Elliot said in his nagging dad voice.

"Thanks," Eli mumbled.

"What? I couldn't hear you."

"Elliot, will you leave him alon-," Olivia attempted to get out.

"Thank you, Olivia!," Eli yelled before slamming through the door and trudging towards the running van.

Olivia's eyes fluttered to a close.

"Olivia? Since when did he start calling you that," Elliot gawked.

"Let's just forget about it. He can call me whatever he wants. That's fine."

Elliot closed the door behind her. "With who, him or you?"

Olivia gave him that annoyed glare and he kissed her on the cheek.

"I'll talk to him," Elliot said nonchalantly.

"Will you?"

Elliot was almost offended. "Yeah…What's wrong?"

"You need to tell him everything."

"I told you, I will."

Olivia turned away from his stare. She was tired of the argument. Eli would never be old enough for Elliot.

"Liv, it's mother's day. I can feel your daggers from here, but let's give it a day."

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow, I promise. I love you, sweety," he smiled.

She smiled back as he grabbed her hand.

They fell into their easy stride as they headed towards the mini van. They had come a long way in the last ten years. Things were just starting to feel normal. Shoulder to shoulder. And this time, hand in hand. It was a picture that close friends were familiar with. The only difference now was that instead of interrogating criminals they questioned themselves and the children they'd committed their lives to.

**EOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOOEOEOEOOEOEOEOEOOEOEOEOEOEOOEOO**

**8 Years earlier**

**16****th**** Precinct**

**Manhattan**

**June 15, 2008**

**10pm**

**Father's Day**

Olivia looked up from her computer to see Elliot strolling in from the hallway in a Hawaiian shirt and khaki pants.

"Hey," he nodded as he sifted through his top desk drawer.

"Hey…shouldn't you be on a boat with your hoard of children, a fishing pole, and a case of beer," Olivia questioned with a lifted brow.

Elliot's face fell into a weary smile. His shoulder's hunched down a bit as he avoided her gaze. "Yeah…you need a break, Benson."

"I do?"

His right hand pulled out a set of keys from the back of the drawer. "Yeah, you're wearing the same shirt you had on yesterday. That and I need a beer…and you know way too much about me. Come on."

He threw the keys at her and headed for the elevator.

For a second Olivia sat frozen at her desk with the keys dangling from her hand. Keys that read 'Harley' across the top of them. She looked up at Munch, who gave her an eye roll. The swivel chair rolled out from under her as she stood up and clicked her computer into sleep mode.

"Elliot what…"

The elevator dinged. "Come on, I only have twelve more hours to enjoy my day off, lets go."

Munch turned his back towards them with a sly smile across his face. "I saw nothing."

Olivia shook her head in annoyance and headed towards the hallway.

**EOEOEOEOEOEOEOOOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOE**

"When did you buy this? And why?"

Elliot handed her a helmet and lifted his leg over the motorcycle. "I've had it for awhile. And why? Because I could."

She looked around the Precinct garage and then back at the ridiculous Harley between Elliot's legs.

"And they let you park it here?"

"Well, I haven't been towed yet. Hop on," he said before revving the engine.

Olivia placed the helmet on her head and apprehensively got onto the bike. Her pelvis meshed with the back of his and just before she could think too much about where her hands were going to go, he pulled them around his waist and backed out of the space.

"Hang on," he yelled.

The two of them zoomed out of the parking garage and through Manhattan. Olivia comfortably nestled herself behind him and enjoyed the summer breeze on her face. She didn't much care for surprises or secrets, but there wasn't much she could say over a growling engine and his warm body between her legs.

They got to the edge of Manhattan and crossed the Brooklyn Bridge. At a stop light Olivia lifted her lips towards Elliot's ear.

"Where are we going," she yelled.

"My dad's bar."

"Your dad owns a bar?"

"No, he's dead….and poor. He just went there all of the time. It's a great little Irish pub. You'll love it."

"Why are you taking me? Shouldn't you be with your family?"

"Why? Because you said you were tired of all the pubs being taken over by cosmopolitans. I assure you- this place won't even know what that means!"

Olivia smiled but noticed that his eyes were avoiding her sideways glance. "Yeah, but what about Kathy?"

Before he could answer the light turned green and the bike roared beneath them. Elliot felt her squeeze him tightly and for the first time in months he felt alive.

Once they got to the pub Elliot stifled her questions and lead her to the front of the bar.

A beat up Cadillac pulled into an open space across from Chief O'Neill's Pud and Grill. A dark figure flashed a few photos of Elliot holding the door open for Olivia. The crusty man smiled. His teeth were yellow and crocked, and he coughed in mid laugh from years of smoking way too many cigarettes. His nicotine-incrusted fingers clicked the roll of film and then placed the disposable camera on the leather seat beside the stick shift.

It was the beginning……..

**AN: Don't forget to leave me your two cents. It helps me write faster. Choa!**


	2. Welcome to Paradise

**AN: Wow thanks for all of the fun reviews, you guys rock! Thanks and Spanks! This was a nice juicy chapter to write. Hope you enjoy.**

**"Welcome to Paradise"**

**Chief O'Neill's Pub and Grill.**

**2008**

**Where we left off…**

Olivia's long legs straddled the wooden barstool next to Elliot. They joked about family or lack there of, while nursing a pint of Ireland's finest Guinness.

"Okay, spill the beans," Olivia said without even needing to look at him.

Elliot stretched himself straight and tall on the barstool.

"I know not what you mean."

Her elbow nudged him playfully. "Elliot Stabler, this is the seventh time we've gone out in the last month, it's father's day, and tonight you decide to show me your secret motorcycle. Either I've been promoted into the boys club or Kathy kicked you out again," she joked.

"Something like that," he replied like any old thing coming out of his mouth.

Olivia started to laugh, but stopped herself short when she realized that might not have been a joke. "What do you mean by 'something like that'?"

His eyes flickered in her direction as the bartender interrupted the question.

"Another?"

"Make it two," Elliot winked.

"Seriously, what's going on?"

A cocky smile came over his face.

"Relentless," he said to the bartender while taking the beers.

"You started it, speed racer."

"I suppose I did," Elliot grinned.

"So?"

She waited.

He took his good sweet time to answer her question. One sip of beer and a rub of the old belly, then…

"I'm retiring."

And with that, he slammed down the rest of his first beer and started on the next.

Olivia's reaction was less than reactionary. In fact, the only thing reacting to his news was her mouth to the rim of her own beer glass.

"Don't throw me a party or anything," Elliot said with a disappointed sarcasm.

"I...sorry. I wasn't expecting that. I don't know what to say... What are you gonna do? I certainly can't imagine you in an office job."

"I'm not getting an office job, Liv. I'm retiring."

"Okay, so then what? Head security guard for a nursing home?"

"Well, I planned on mowing the grass a lot, but if you insist."

"Mowing the grass? You can't afford to sit at home. Elliot, have you thought about this or did Kathy get a job I don't know about?"

"I know it's crazy isn't?"

Olivia watched him blissfully smile. She'd never seen him like this before.

"You've lost your damn mind."

"Liv, don't you get it. I'm starting over. It's not the end. It's the beginning. Come on, you knew this was coming. Hell, I thought I was losing you two months ago, when you started winding the baby clock."

"So instead I'm losing you to shorter grass. That's real cute."

His hand pulled the pint glass from hers' and placed it on the counter.

"Liv, you should do it too. Me and you. We'll retire together. Like the big bang."

"Why don't you just take a leave of absence for awhile, El. I'm sure this is just a phase."

"You wanted to have a baby right? This is perfect timing."

"What's that have to do with anything? You're making irrational decisions and I-"

"Liv-"

"I can't retire. You may have a family to keep you occupied, but all I have is a long day of shopping, a couple of bad dates, and maybe a few crank calls to your cell phone. Hmm…maybe it wouldn't be so bad."

"This is your time to be a mom, Liv."

"I can't raise a child in New York City on a government retirement check. And if you'll so vividly remember, adoption agencies don't give babies to single women with no family and little pay. You haven't even gotten over your mid-life crisis yet, Elliot, how can you retire?"

He snickered at her red-hot desperation. She was so taken aback by the thought of him leaving the precinct, that she hadn't even realized that when he grabbed her hand thirty seconds ago, he hadn't let it go. In a whirlwind of thoughts her focus paused briefly on his anxious face and the light thump of his nervous thumb to her knuckle.

"Liv," he whispered.

"What are you doing," she jumped. Her hand pulled away from his and had she not known this man better than herself, she would have been hailing a cab as of pronto.

"I left Kathy."

The words hit her at the precise moment for a good beer chock. Once recovered, she wiped her mouth and gruffly replied ", Elliot, you're drunk. Get out of here."

Elliot handed her a napkin.

"She doesn't love me like that anymore, Liv. And let's face it, who I'm kidding. I wasn't happy. There were some brief moments, but nothing substantial."

"You can't do this."

"Why?"

"Because you are out of your mind."

"Actually, for the first time ever I feel pretty grounded and I know exactly what I want."

He placed his beer down and turned to face her. His hand fell effortlessly on her knee.

"What do you say, Liv? Let me take you out."

Again the bad timing with the beer. She had to push the glass away before the very first beer Heimlich was performed.

"Elliot Stabler, we are out?"

"I mean on a da-"

"I know what you meant," she cut in.

"So what's the problem?"

"There isn't one…I just…that's a lot of information all at once like that and then you just kept on going. Couldn't keep your mouth shut. Nothing suave about it. 'I'm old and single. Let me take you out, Liv.'"

"Well, I could have sent you flowers, but I know how much you hate that. Nice beer save, by the way."

Her eyes pierced right through him.

"Sorry," he grinned. "So?"

She knew what she wanted to say to his proposal. There was no doubt in her mind that she loved Elliot Stabler, but the whole thing was so unpredictable and completely left field at the moment. "Elliot, you show up with a motorcycle, divorce papers, and a retirement plan, then expect me to … this a joke, right? You're setting me up on some kind of candid camera…practical joke. Right?"

Elliot turned away from her with a sigh. "Ah…it's pretty serious actually."

He looked to the window as he thought about what needed to be said. His eyes caught site of the cigarette smoke pouring from the Cadillac out front. Blinking back towards Olivia, he began listing off his life as if it were a grocery list.

"Kathy and I parted ways a month ago. I wanted to tell you, I did. But I couldn't, so I'm doing it now. Anyway, the papers were already signed and sealed, so I moved out. "

Elliot continued without pause. His eyes stayed focused on the dusty window.

"I've been crashing at my brother's place, but last week I bought a new mini van, aka –the Harley, and a condo. Eli's gonna be with me on the weekends. You're gonna like the new condo. It has a doorman, an elevator, two bedrooms, two baths, an extra wide futon, and Dickie's old 37 inch TV. "

"So…you're retiring to Florida?"

"No, Liv, I moved out…and in. Literally."

There was a pause. And then…"I live in your building. Fourth floor."

Elliot faced his suductee with a confidant gaze. Her face painted itself into a thousand shades of red. He hoped to god she would accept the pass he just threw at her, otherwise he was pretty screwed.

"Uh…I…why would you do that, Elliot?"

"Saves on gas."

Olivia was speechless and confused. "I don't know what you want me to say."

"Say 'yes' to dinner and a movie."

"I…I'm gonna have to think about it."

"Wow, 9 years you think you know somebody. Liv, I know you think I'm nuts. But…can you just…can you just _pretend_ that you're excited? You know, because I'm gonna have a really hard time working around your elevator schedule every week. Trust me, it's a bitch."

She held back a smile as he leaned into her attention.

"If Kathy and I had never been…you know…and if I hadn't messed things up that first time with you….I would have…wanted-no, I did want…you. I've always wanted you. Liv, you said it before. You've been single your whole life. I know this what you want."

"Stop," she whispered.

"Well, I do…Damn- it, Olivia," Elliot's head sunk a bit. "Now I don't know what to say."

And he didn't. Nor did he have to say another word. Her eyes fell to her lap. Her left hand rested on the bar and he nestled the tips of her twitching fingers with the tips of his own.

"I love when you do that."

"I know," she whispered.

She pulled away, knowing full well that the acknowledgment of such a secret indulgence could lead to treacherous boundaries. It was one thing for her to, on occasion, find herself twitching for him on purpose. It was another to admit that they both enjoyed such a selfish lustful tactic. It was also funny to her how such an innocent comforting thing could be so bad. But it never failed. Except for maybe tonight, when the ball was so obviously in her court, and she was so utterly out of her game.

"You're upset. Why are you upset, Liv?"

She tossed her hair to the side of her ear in thought. "I'm not upset. I guess, I just don't understand how I could have missed you getting a divorce and moving into my very own apartment building."

"I guess your detective skills are just getting rusty. Sounds like you should look into-"

She slapped him. Lightly. "How many more secrets do you have, Elliot Stabler?"

"No secrets. Just surprises."

The engine in the Cadillac roared angrily. Again, Elliot glanced at the smoky hunk of car.

Olivia noticed his lack of focus and reached for the side of his neck. Gently she slide her hand towards his cheek. Her touch melted with his unshaven face. She'd run out of things to say now too, so without judgment or caution, Olivia lifted her lips towards his.

Neither of them moved. Their noses came together as if searching for the right moment. Elliot's warm breath tickled Olivia's willing lips. She knew out of all the things most dangerous in the world, this could be the death of her. Yet, she stayed…slowly making the first move.

The stiffness in Elliot's body stifled as she pulled her face into his own. And as they touched, the power of 9-year sexual frustration was bigger than any force he could have imagined. God, himself could hardly keep up.

Together they touched and grouped places they'd only dreamt about. It was a slow burning fuse that quickly spread throughout them like a wildfire.

The rusty Cadillac watched from the window. Hell, the whole bar slowly began to watch as they kissed and gasped with a passionate precision in the corner.

Elliot couldn't believe what was happening. She wasn't supposed to kiss him. She was supposed to be a pain in the ass. Stubborn and protective. His heart was racing so fast that he thought it might burst…along with other things. He certainly hadn't planned on getting this far tonight. And he'd expected or dreamt to have had more control over himself in the situation, but her lips, her hair, her shoulders, neck, face, ears, the feel of her Victoria Secret bra under that soft cotton T-shirt, and the way her knee accidentally rubbed the inners of his thigh. He was only too glad for thick khaki's and dark Irish pubs. His eyes opened briefly in order to find a way back to earth. In that blink, he caught hold of the Cadillac blinking it's headlights and squealing down the road.

"Stop," he breathed. "Shhh…shh…not here."

He pushed her away but held her with his eyes as she licked her swollen lips and nodded. Looking at him was almost embarrassing for her. She was now completely vulnerable.

Breathlessly she broke his stare and looked around. "Wow." The ten other people surrounding them dodged her eyes in hopes that she didn't catch their stares. "I don't know what just came over me."

He gently placed his hand on the small of her back and put some money for their tab on the bar.

"It's okay. It was my fault. I'll forgive you this time. Let's just get you home," he said.

Olivia followed him to the parking lot. Her legs felt new and unstable. For the first time ever, she invited the feeling.

**Stabler Family Mini-Van**

**2016**

**Mother's Day**

The van rolled to a sputtering halt on the side of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.

"Damn-it, Elliot, I told you to get gas at that last station."

"How was I to know there'd be traffic? That last station was over eight dollars a gallon. There's no way I was paying that much for gas!"

Olivia lifted her hands in angry defeat. "Well, now you're gonna have to pay eight bucks a gallon and walk your ass there and back to boot."

Eli kicked the back of Elliot's seat with his growing knee while fidgeting. "Way to save a buck DAD!"

"Hey- HEY-cut the crap Eli! I am this close to grounding your ass for two weeks."

"What! My knee hit the seat-"

"Elliot, he didn't kick the seat on purpose, settle down," Olivia interviened. "Call someone at the precinct and have them get you some back up. I'm sure there's a highway patrol close by."

Elliot grabbed his cell phone and got out of the van.

Olivia and Eli sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity.

Finally Olivia spoke. "What'cha listening to?"

"Huh? Oh." Eli pulled one of the earphones out of his ears. "It's just a stupid game."

His eyes focused on the I-Pod video game.

"I hear guitars. What is that you're listening to?"

"Greenday."

"Greenday? As in Basket Case Greenday?"

"Yeah, it was Dickie's. You know it?"

"Hell, yeah. American Idiot is my fav though."

Olivia smiled, but Eli could only muster a nod. He continued his video gaming.

She turned around and looked in the rear view mirror. Elliot was getting smaller and smaller as he walked on the side of the highway towards the BP station two miles down the road.

She sighed heavy but complacent.

"You don't have to be cool, you know," Eli said, breaking the silence.

"Neither do you," she growled back.

Olivia glanced back at him. He was still ignoring her.

"What's going on with you, big E? You used to give me heart cards made out of construction paper and crayons on Mother's Day. Remember that?"

"Yeah, well, things change."

Olivia turned away in silence. She'd heard that before.

"I suppose you're right."

She hated being the stepmother, but she hated that he hated it even more.

'Welcome to Paradise' blared from the I-Pod earphones. Olivia lightly moved her head to the beat and mumbled along.

"Sometimes I give myself the creeps. Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me. It all keeps adding up. I think I'm cracking up…"

Eli dropped his video game to shake his hair violently and sing with the music. "AM I JUST PARANOID."

"Or am I stoned," Olivia wailed.

Both Stablers head banged while singing the guitar line in unison. "Do, do , do , DOdo, do, do. Dodo, do, do, do, do, DO, do,do…."

Olivia let out a long loud laugh and Eli cracked a smile.

"Nice! Way to be stoned, Mah."

Olivia's heart fluttered at his last word. She kept her cool though. "If that's what it takes. But I don't recommend it; I hear it's not that hip. You know, that's what the cool people tell me."

Again they laughed and the silence returned. This time lighter.

Eli watched a few cars drive by on the highway. A truck passed with a Mother's Day commercial on it and ultimately he felt terrible inside for snapping at Olivia.

"Mum…"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

She held back the fat tears filling up her eyes and threw him a sideways smile. "It's okay."

Blue and red flashing lights came towards them as she wiped the thoughts away with her tears.

"You're father's back. Let's call a truce for now, mkay," she smiled.

He kicked back and grabbed the I-Pod again.

"As long as we can still pick on dad, I'm game."

"Deal."

**2008**

**1am**

**The Morning after Father's Day**

**Manhattan Apartment Building **

**502 W. Chestnut.**

**Very swank hallway scene.**

The off duty detectives reached the elevator. Olivia pressed the third floor button. Elliot stood at attention.

"I thought you said you lived on the fourth floor?"

"Can't a guy walk a girl home anymore?"

Olivia blushed, face to the ground.

The silent elevator ride was one to remember. No words, just vibrant thoughts and anticipation. Once they reached Olivia's apartment, Elliot pulled Olivia's hand to his lips and kissed the back of her palm.

"I meant it. This being serious. When can I take you out?"

"Out?"

"You know, me and you, sans gloke," he smiled eyeing the gun on her belt.

"Tomorrow. Let's say 8pm."

"Sounds like a date, Benson."

"And no showering at the precinct. I already get crap from Munch about dating. I'd rather not open a new conspiracy theory."

"And what conspiracy would that be? The people who work together will inevitably fall in love theory" he mocked.

"Whoa, slow down loverboy. Those are big words you're throwing around."

"Right. Sorry."

She gently laughed. "Goodnight."

He turned for the elevator and she for her door, but she stopped him. "Why now?"

"What?"

"Why me and why now?

"Why not?"

"No really, I need to know."

"Because, I'm tired of pretending. I'm tired of thinking about you. Worrying about you. I'm tired of fighting the butterflies in my stomach every time I touch you. I hate watching you struggle to love men you don't love. I'm tired of being a hypocrite. How am I supposed to be a dad, when I can't even be in love with my wife? It's not right. I could go on…do you need me to go on?"

"No…that's…that's all I needed. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

They turned again, and again Olivia stopped him. "And it's not weird?"

Elliot caught the elevator door with his hand and smiled. "You trying to impress someone?"

"No…"

And there it was the laugh he waited for all evening. Bright eyes, wrinkled nose, wide glowing smile.

"I'll meet you at Starbucks in the morning, bright eyes."

Elliot waved goodnight from the elevator. When he reached his brand new door to enter his brand new life, he breathed in to smell…cigarettes?

"Morning Bright-eyes," growled a gruff looking man with pock marks and a train wreck of a voice. He held a gun to Elliot's head and pushed him face first into the wall.

"What th-," Elliot said at a loud volume.

"Keep your voice down or I'll blow your brain straight out of your nose."

"What do you want? Were you following me? I saw you following me in Brooklyn. I should have arrested your ass right there."

"Shut-up. Empty your pockets."

"You want my wallet? Here, take it," He said pulling all the items from his pockets.

"Put your hands on the wall Casanova, do I look like a petty criminal to you?"

"You smell like one."

The guy smacked Elliot upside the head with his gun.

"Ah!"

"Smart ass. You're gonna watch your mouth if you want to see life again, Stabler."

"How do you-"

Smack! Again the gun beat into his skull.

"Ah…God, not real good at socializing, I see!"

Smack!

"You finished," hissed the man.

Elliot didn't answer him.

"Good. I got a friend who has a message for yeah. Says it's a message you'd die to hear."

"Yeah, so tell it already."

Bam!

Elliot's head trickled with blood, while the man behind him placed a tape recorder next to his ear.

Kathy's screams could be heard. "My husband is a cop."

"You're husband is Big Brother's worst nightmare, lady," yelled a man's voice in the background.

All the while Kathy's cries continued. "You don't want to do this. No! Stop! Leave the baby. Please! Please don't! You can take me but don't-"

"Had enough, Detective?"

"Who are you, you fuck'n stink factory!?"

"Consider me the modern version of Cupid. And my boss. Well my boss is your worst nightmare. He says you two are like peas and carrots. Tom and Jerry. Batman and Joker."

"Really. Which one am I?"

"Right now you're a pussy ass joker that I'm gonna mash into string peas if you don't shut your yap."

"What do you want?"

"I came for you, but after the public display of affection I captured so easily on film earlier this evening…I'm thinking…my boss might want to rethink the proposition. So I'm gonna give you a small present. You got 24 hours. Bring me your girlfriend and I'll let your kids go. Free of charge."

"Don't you touch my kids!"

"That's not my job pal. You gonna save the day or do I have to call in the maids for one big cop kill'n clean up."

"Where? When? I swear to god, you touch one hair-"

But the man pulled back Elliot's arm dislocating his shoulder before he could answer.

"You'll get details later. Until then, might I suggest listening to 91.3. I hear the DJ is all about reuniting lost relationships."

"What?"

He then placed a rag over his mouth and whispered into his ear. "And Elliot, don't try anything stupid. No back up. No guns. No detective teamwork. Olivia can't know about this. Got it!"

Elliot bit the guy's hand.

"Son of Bitch! Mother Fucker!"

The guy slapped Elliot in the face and held him to the ground with the rag pressed firmly against his mouth.

"Don't fuck with me pig. If you tell anyone, even her, especially _her_…I'll know."

Elliot struggled and squirmed to try and fight the chloroform but the man was too strong. Slowly his eyes closed and his body fell limp.

**AN: Tell me what you're love'n. What you're hating. Tell me about you dog. What ever, just give me some kind of feedback on the story or writing. Shalom.**


	3. Damaged

**AN: Wow, I love my reviewers! You're all awesome. And Sarah and Laura need a special Internet cookie for such long winded- yet, Laura especially- very fun/LOL reviews. Ya'll Mrslee is crazy hilarious!**

**Okay one thing I'm getting from most of you is "I'm confused".**

**For those of you screaming "Confusion" I'm thinking what that really means is that you want or need to know the secrets and/or you skimmed over the "Dates", but if those aren't the reasons let me know. I don't want to be too specific yet, because y'all are smart and you'll guess it too quickly. This ain't no Dan Brown book! Sheesh, I can't even read those books, I got to the 40th page and was like-Duh Sofie's the answer and professor what's his fuck is the bad guy. Boo- what fun is that!**

_**So, things to know:**_

**-- I'm writing this kind of like the formula they use on the TV show "Lost", so yes, there are a few secrets that you won't understand at first, but bare with me. I'll answer everything.**

**--This chapter will be going back and forth from 2006 to 2008. So make sure you read the dates. I know most of you hate the "K" word, but I have to write a few more scenes with her or this whole idea won't make any sense, but I promise I'll do my best to keep it short and sweet.**

**Lastly, I had to change two lines in the last chapter in order to make something else work. So here's a recap for those of you that may have read it before I changed it.**

**"Where? When? I swear to god, you touch one hair-"**

**But the man pulled back Elliot's arm dislocating his shoulder before he could answer.**

**"You'll get details later. Until then, might I suggest listening to 91.3. I hear the DJ is all about reuniting lost relationships."**

**"What?"**

**He then placed a rag over his mouth and whispered into his ear. "And Elliot, don't try anything stupid. No back up. No guns. No detective teamwork. Olivia can't know about this. Got it!"**

**Okay that's all folks!**

Chapter 3

"**Damaged"**

**December 15, 2006**

**Stabler Residence**

**Queens, NY**

**Before the birth of Eli, and before that dreadful one night stand. We're gonna go back for a moment to Kathy.**

**(As if you weren't confused enough- prepare yourself for one more side note.)**

Kathy licked a splash of spaghetti sauce from her hand while jogging towards the ring of the telephone.

"Will somebody get that if you're near it? I can't find the cordless."

_Ring. Ring._

Her ear caught the sound of the big white cordless phone coming from the couch.

"Ah-ha!"

She grabbed it.

"Hello?"

An older woman's voice chirped from the other end of the receiver. "Good evening, am I talking to a Mrs. Elliot Stabler?"

Kathy cringed a bit at the sound of his name being used to address her, as if she weren't her own person, but that was one of the many set backs she chose when she decided to go through a separation.

She replied with a polite ", Yes."

Her eye sub-consciously glanced toward the office desk, where a manila envelope with divorce papers lie, collecting dust.

"Ma'm, I'm with the Manhattan Fertility Clinic can I have a moment of your time?"

Kathy's shoulders immediately slumped over. She hated when telemarketers called during dinner. But with all due respect for Senior Citizens still having to work for money, Kathy gave in and listened to the schpeel. "Sure, what can I do you for?"

"As I said, I'm with the Manhattan Fertility Clinic and we're seeking donors for the families in need of children."

"I can give you twenty dollars."

"That's lovely, but not exactly the kind of donation we're in search of. Mrs. Stabler, do you have any children of your own?"

"Yes, I have four."

"Oh isn't that lovely. All blessings I'm sure."

"They sure are," Kathy said as she grabbed a moldy plate that Dickie had left in the corner of the living room.

"You have been blessed, but many women, simply can't conceive a child. We're asking for one donation and a few hours of your time to help future mom's and dad's make their dream come true."

"I'm sorry but any more than twenty dollars and I'm afraid you're calling the wrong house. As I said, I do have four kids. Have these people tried adoption? I hear it's cheaper than fertility."

"Well…each case is different. Let me ask you, how would you feel if you never got the chance to feel your unborn child kick for the first time? Or the joys of giving birth?"

Kathy rolled her eyes as she started filling the kitchen sink with dishwater. "I'm sure there's a reason for everything. God doesn't just make a person barren without good cause. What kind of donation are you looking for?"

"Well, it won't cost you a thing, just your time. In fact, if you're a match, we'll pay you."

Kathy dropped the dirty dish into the hot water and was a little shocked at what this woman was asking of her. "You mean my eggs? You want me to donate my eggs?"

"No dear, not your eggs. You'd just need to donate your time. We'd pay you for the eggs."

"You're calling me to ask such a thing over the phone? How did you get my number?"

"Yes, well, it's a good cause. Adoption is a blessing too, but so is the miracle of conception. Think of the gift you'd be giving to some wonderful unfertile couple for Christmas. We're not asking you to decide now, but if you set up an appointment with us today, we'll bring you in for a check up and fill you in on all the details in person. If you then went through with the procedure our clinic would give you a payment of 10,000. That's something I'm sure your own family could need. It's really a win win situation here."

"Ah…I don't-"

"You seem like a good Christian woman, Mrs. Stabler. What are you? Protestant?"

"That's really non-"

"No, Catholic."

"How…"

The old woman laughed. "Oh, I'm just that good at my job dear."

"Yes you are."

"You know, I'm Catholic myself. And when I couldn't conceive, a wonderful woman like yourself donated her time and that's how I had my Billy. Just come in for a check up and you can decide then."

Kathy let go of the scrub brush she was about to use and looked up at the cluttered kitchen and then to a picture of Kathleen at the age of one sitting on the windowsill. "How much are you going to get paid if I come in for a check up?"

The old woman's sweet voice grew even sweeter and Kathy felt a strange need to make this lady's day. As she dried her hands with a baby Jesus dishtowel the transaction of one visit to the fertility clinic and a telemarketers commission was made.

**Meanwhile back in 2008……..Elliot's Manhattan Apartment.**

**30 minutes after he'd been passed out in the hallway.**

"Kathy, pick up the phone, it's me."

Elliot called the house in Queens several times in hopes this was all a bad dream.

"Kathy! Damn-it!"

Frantically he tore his apartment to shreds with one arm while looking for any trace of a bug or intrusion.

"How are you tracking me you son of a bitch?! Where are you? Coward!"

He tore off his clothes and his shoes. His head was throbbing from the gash that was still bleeding on the back of his head. Once in the bathroom he turned the cold shower water on and dunked the bleeding wound under the facet. Every muscle in his body was pulsing with pain, rage, and sweat.

**AN: Mmmmmm naked, wet, angry, Christopher Meloni. Drooly drooly drooly. Okay, sorry, I couldn't help myself.**

After a moment of panic he stopped the water and leaned against the wall to catch his breath. Trying to find his first-aid kit among the unpacked boxes was going to be a challenge. He kicked the tossed about furniture and boxes around, and decided he needed help.

Quickly he threw on his work clothes, put all of the things that his un-welcomed messenger may have touched into a plastic grocery bag, and grabbed some spare change from a jar on his kitchen counter.

Within minutes he was racing down the emergency stairwell. He checked Olivia's hallway and briefly listened at the edge of her door for any noise. There was no sound, except for his rapid heartbeat and the thoughts of what was said to him before he passed out.

"_Olivia can't know about this._ _You tell her…and I'll know."_

It crossed his mind that the man could have been messing with him, but he didn't want to risk it. He walked away from Olivia's door apprehensively. She was a big girl; she'd be safe for now.

He headed to the lobby. The doorman was off duty from midnight to 6am, but he checked for cameras.

"One, two…three, cameras. You're dead, you asshole."

Without wasting another moment, he pushed through the front door of the building and ran down the sidewalk. He had been so taken over by Olivia's presence that he had let his guard down in every way. As he jogged down the street in search of a payphone he felt like hell was creeping over his soul. If there was ever an apocalypse, this was what Elliot had imagined it to be. Thoughts of his kids being harmed or worse, flashed through his mind. He used his cell phone and called every phone number they might have ever owned ten times just to make sure he wasn't being tricked. In return he got nothing but voice mail.

"_Hi, it's Maureen, I want your digits and I want'em now." Beep_

When, finally he gave in, he turned the cell off in case anyone was tracking it and put it back inside the plastic bag.

"Dear God…what hell is happening?"

He got to the first payphone and stood in front of it for a minute contemplating on whether or not it too wasn't out to get him. The street was quiet. He scanned the apartments and cars in view of the phone. Nothing. Carefully he unscrewed the phone receiver to look for any listening devices. He wasn't an expert, but he knew a bug when he saw one. There was nothing.

One quarter and ten digits later he was explaining to Melinda that he needed her help.

"Melin, I can't tell you why, just know that it's life threatening. Please, can you meet me at the corner of 5th and vine? That's two blocks south of the Precinct, yes. 221…"

**January 12, 2007**

**Kathy stands at the counter of a clinic waiting room talking to a young woman in Scrubs.**

"Yes, 2431 W. Elk Grove. That is my address. Is this going to take long?"

"Not at all," smiled the fresh-faced Blonde. "I'll be with you in a minute."

Kathy turned to have a seat and read a magazine when the door to the back opened and Olivia Benson walked out laughing about something she and the doctor were discussing.

"Olivia?"

"Huh…Kathy. Hi."

Olivia's smile faded into a warm expression. "What are you doing here?"

Kathy laughed uncomfortably. "Oh, you know…those damned telemarketers."

Olivia's eyebrow scrunched in confusion and Kathy nervously tried to explain herself. "I'm going to give my eggs…to the clinic. You know, it's charitable."

"Right," Olivia nodded.

"What are you doing here," she chirped.

Olivia flinched at the question. She hadn't thought about what she would say about her visit to motherhood. "Um…I know the doctor."

It was an obvious lie, but Kathy really didn't care. She just wanted out of the situation.

She too replied with a ", Right."

"So…I've gotta get back to work. I'll tell Elliot you said-"

"Oh, no! You don't have to do that. I mean, he would think it's weird that I'm doing this. It's kind of against our religion, and I really…don't want to seem weird…I mean…Does it seem weird?"

"I won't tell him," Olivia smiled. "But it's not weird. You're doing a good thing."

"Thanks."

Olivia nodded and headed for the door.

"Liv."

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for talking to Elliot for me last week. I appreciate it."

"No problem."

And with that she left.

**June 18, 2008**

**4am **

**Corner of 5****th**** and Vine, Manhattan.**

**Elliot meets up with Melinda Warner.**

"Melinda, thank god."

Melinda walked towards Elliot with her husband in tow.

"Elliot, this is my husband Edward."

Elliot went to shake his hand, but winced from the pain in his dislocated shoulder.

"Hi Edward, I'm sorry I had to drag your wife out at-"

"Four in the morning," Edward grumped.

"Yeah..."

Melinda pulled Elliot's head to eye level. "My god, what the hell happened?"

"Long story. Can you fix me up? I think I need a few stitches."

"And a shoulder pop. Here, give me your arm."

Within minutes Melinda had Elliot back to a functional level. The three of them walked to Melinda's car and got inside for better privacy. Her husband sat in the driver's seat rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"Melin, I can't tell you details. And trust me you don't want to be part of this."

"Too late for that."

"My kids could die if this leaks, do you get me?"

"Understood. Elliot, shouldn't you be taking this to Cragen? Get back up, something…"

Elliot focused wearily on the bag in his hand. The gravely voice returned to this thoughts.

_"No back up. No guns. No detective teamwork or they all die. Got it!"_

"No. No backup. I need you to take the contents of this bag and see if you can lift any prints or sweat or anything. I need an ID."

Melinda took the grocery bag of clothing and personal items and nodded hesitantly. "Anything else?"

"Yeah," Elliot said. "Use a code name on that file, if you have to call me about anything in that bag."

"Jacobson file? That's my maiden name."

Edward, who was sitting with his eyes closed, lifted his hand and padded her on the leg as if to say "Nice one."

"That'll do," Elliot replied while opening the car door.

"Elliot, I'm not gonna get fired over thi-"

"No, it's nothing like that. And when did that ever stop you?"

"Got me there," she smiled.

" I gotta go," he said as he checked his watch and ducked out of the car.

"Oh…okay. Good luck."

"Goodnight. Morning. Thank you."

Melinda watched him run down the street as her husband started the car.

"That was shady," Edward said.

"Yeah, that's not like him. Take me to the lab, sweety, and then you can go back to bed."

**June 18, 2008 **

**8:30am **

**16 Precinct **

**Elliot has worked throughout the evening to find his family.**

The morning sun rose quickly. Elliot sat at his desk sifting through files of every criminal he may have pissed off. Munch walked in with a box of doughnuts in his hand and tapped Elliot on the shoulder.

"Find it yet?"

Elliot jumped out of his skin. "Jesus, don't ever do that to me again."

"Whatcha looking for?"

Elliot rubbed his eyes. "Nothing."

"You should be looking for your watch. I just ran into Benson, she's not exactly bright and shining this morning."

Elliot looked at his watch and realized he was supposed to meet Olivia at Starbucks, twenty minutes ago.

"Fuck me," he jumped.

"You're not that lucky," Olivia said as she walked into the Precinct.

"Liv! God, I'm sorry, I forgot. I had this file…and then the time…I didn't…because this file I'm looking for…that was…"

He had no idea what he was going to say or what he was saying.

"Here's your file," Casey butted in. "Court in a half hour, Stabler. Don't forget."

She waltzed into the office and dropped a file onto Elliot's desk. "You left it in my office last week. I didn't want to disturb you on father's day."

Although Elliot was momentarily saved, he could tell that Olivia wasn't convinced by the look of "YOU STOOD ME UP" jetting from her eyes.

Hopeless pain was written all over Elliot's face. It was like the world was moving but he was stuck on pause.

The office resumed its' business, but Olivia never took her eyes from Elliot's glazed over expression. She eased her way into the seat across from him.

"Did your cell phone die," she asked.

"Huh? No…I mean, yeah."

"Are you charging it?"

It was like she was talking to a wall. Elliot transfixed himself to the screensaver on his computer. His memory was trying to repeat and recollect last night's events.

"_I hear the DJ is all about reuniting lost relationships."_

"Elliot," Olivia waved from her side of the desks.

"Huh- What?"

"What's wrong with you?"

His eyes never looked up from the files, but finally he moved. "Where's that portable radio we used to have around here?"

He searched the desks around him. Olivia watched with a creased brow. "I…think Munch has it. Elliot what do you need…" as he passed her to get to Munch's desk she touched his arm. "Hey, what's going on," she whispered.

He stopped. His gut wanted to look her in the eye and tell her to run, but…

"_Olivia can't know….especially her…bring me Olivia…"_

He couldn't do it. "Nothing. Nothing, nothing. Just got a hang over and I forgot about this court hearing. I must have drank too much."

And with that, he pulled away.

"That's funny, because you seemed fine last night."

"Last night," Fin grinned, cutting her off as he headed to his desk. "Sexy. Why wasn't I invited?"

Elliot's back remained faced toward the pair of them as he sifted through Munch's desk drawers.

Olivia was not amused by Fin's comments. She shot him the evil eye and ended the game before it could go any further. "Elliot, I have Advil in my purse…"

"Thanks, I'm good," he replied. He then grabbed the small radio from a bottom desk drawer and headed towards the elevators with his case files.

"Where are you going," Olivia interrupted.

"Court," he answered.

As he reached the hallway, he could sense Olivia's feeling of rejection. He hated himself for it, but keeping a real secret from her was much harder for him than hiding a motorcycle and a moving truck…at the same time. Yet, he couldn't ignore her completely.

"Liv," he turned to face her. "I'm sorry. I'm just busy with this case. But I can't wait for tonig-"

Fin was still watching them. He sat five feet away scarfing down a bagel and listening to every word.

Elliot attempted to back track. "I'll see you after…well after this and after-"

"Court," Olivia finished. "Is that still good for you? Cause we can always exchange 'files' tomorrow…or the next day…or whenever."

Elliot was briefly confused. "Files?"

She slightly cocked her head towards Fin and gave him the "Shut the fuck up" stare.

"Oh….yeah…the date…is coming up…" He lifted the files in his hand. "Files. Yeah."

His eyes caught a glimpse of Fin's bagel chomp. He tried his best to cover up his near slip. "Yep, my 'files' are ready for _you_. Ready for you to look at. Definitely today. Definitely after court…same time, right?"

"Right," she said with concern.

He weakly smiled at her willing answer. He was going to crush her. She was going to be all hot and perfect in her after hours attire with her charming sense of humor and those strappy heels that she always wears on dates, and he was going to feed her to the sharks.

Fin's confused stare and open-mouthed chewing, broke the heartache welling up in his chest and he immediately turned to leave.

Olivia took a stiff breath of air and began typing. "And Elliot-"

"Yeah," he stopped.

"Make sure those 'files' look nice. Don't do them at the office at the last minute. Cause I'll know…mine are pristine."

"_I'll know…,"_ Growled the voice in Elliot's mind.

"Got it," he said with a forced smile.

Olivia smiled to herself as Fin crinkled up his bagel wrappings and shook his head. "You two are getting weird. I can't even tell if you're speaking English anymore."

"That's the way we like it," Olivia sighed.

**Flashback to Kathy February 1****st****, 2008 **

"Elliot, I'm pregnant."

**Flashback to Olivia February 5****th****, 2008**

"Hi my name is Olivia Benson, I got a call from somebody saying they needed to talk to me about my eggs." Olivia held the phone to her ear tightly. "What do you mean they're damaged? Okay, I'll…I'll set up a new appointment then. Thanks."

She clicked the cordless phone off and stared into the spare bedroom where a twin bed with colorful bed sheets and stuffed animals sat untouched.

**AN: Singing-Can you fix my H-E-A-R-T cause it's D-A-M-A-G-E-D! Gah- that song is so annoying and yet I can't stop listening to it. BAHHHH! Okay, there was lots of exposition in this chapter, but it'll be worth it I promise. I'm thinking 10-12 chapters. Anyhoo, drop me your thoughts. Let me know if the confusion is too much. I'll make it clearer. **


	4. The Element of Surprise

**AN: Hey Homies! First off, let me just say that I love fanfiction! Gah, I took a hiatus and now that I'm back I can't remember why I needed or even wanted a hiatus. You guys are so much fun. I feel like I have fifty pen pals. Okay maybe like half of that…okay a quarter- a fourth of that, but I love love love it! Did you ever have pen pals from other countries when you were in grade school? Mine was from Germany….but she only wrote to me once. Bitch! (LOL-that's an inside joke for anyone that ever watched the show "Fat Actress". I think I was the only one who watched that show though. But there's a great scene where the chick from Blossom goes over to Kirsti Alley's house and rings her doorbell, and Kirsti looks out the peep hole and says "Bitch!" and Blossom sees her eye and backs while saying "Bitch." They way they say it …makes me die laughing. So now I say it like them every time I say it. Bitch!)**

**OKAY WAAAAY OT!**

**One more-no two more things. **

**One, if you haven't read Veil Obsessions stories- GO do it now! They are amazing! I'm in the middle of the "fairytale" one and I'm completely hooked.**

**Two—I wrote the end of this chapter at 2am and in the middle of my writings the neighbor that lives above me started having wild jack hammer sex with a prostitute….Yeah, my neighbors are all gross and shady. I'm a poor actress, I live in the immigrant ghetto (AKA married bachelors of America. AKA-men who's wives live in far away countries- hence the hoe!) So yeah give me a break! Hey….that could be my show. No – not "Give me a Break" I'm no Nell Carter. "Po' Actress!" Now that works! **

**So if you don't already want to make love in a club…you will now. Okay, maybe not a club, but you'll want to make love. I know I do. Talk about frustrated. Listening to and writing about sex- does not satisfy a girl's needs. OKAY WAAY WAAY WAAAAAAAAAAY OT TMI! Peace Bitches!**

"**The Element of Surprise"**

**May 15, 2016**

**Mother's Day**

**The Stabler Mini-Van**

**Previously on "Framed"…Elliot has returned to the broke down Mini-van with fuel to fill the empty tank. All three head down the highway to Kathy's Library Memorial Ceremony, but on their way, they stop at the LaGuardia airport to pick up Dickie…fifty-five minutes late.**

"Namaste, my little untimely Brady Bunch," Dickie said with a big wide smile. He stood on the curb next to the airport in army fatigue pants and a white T-Shirt. His green Army bag was neatly strapped around one ripped shoulder.

"Dickie!" Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him the biggest Mama bear hug in her body.

"Happy Mother's Day, Liv," He smiled. His eyes closed warmly and he lifted her off the ground for good measure.

"Oh, my!" Her surprised yelp turned into joyous laughter. A few people turned to look at them, but that wasn't uncommon. She was the hottest mom at the airport. Dickie then handed her some airport carnations and kissed her on the cheek.

"They were out of roses, but I figured it was the thought that counts."

"You're in one piece. That's all that matters."

"It's just boot camp, Liv. I haven't even shot a real gun yet."

"I know, but I worry."

"Sorry, bout the wait, Bud," Elliot added before he too was man hugging his 22 year-old son.

Dickie opened the sliding door of the van and threw his stuff in the back. Once inside he gave Eli a head-lock of a hug with an added noogy and settled comfortably into his seat.

"Look at you. You're getting huge lil' broth-ah!"

"Yep," Eli blushed.

Dickie handed him a microchip with new music to listen too. "Thought you'd enjoy this. One Republic."

"Aww, sweet. Thanks!" Eli immediately popped it into his I Pod.

"Where's Beth and-," Dickie began to ask as he sat back to enjoy the ride.

"Sleep over at Grandma's," Olivia answered.

"So what is this whole ceremony thing anyway," Dickie continued. A piece of Orbits gum juiced up in the corner of his mouth as he spoke.

Eli hated when he did that. The sound it made was more annoying than ten cows chewing cudd. But he hadn't seen his brother since Christmas. It was good to have him back for a few days, even his annoying habits.

Elliot turned his head around to see the traffic behind him. He gave Eli a wink and answered Dickie's questioned. "It's just a little plaque with her name on it. The ladies at the library insisted that the new building be named after her. They're having a small party and a few key speakers to officially open the library up to students, so we thought it'd be good to make an appearance."

"It's very nice of them," Olivia added.

"Yeah, and Eli here was supposed to give a little speech thanking everyone, but he's chickened out on us," Elliot said with a glance to his son through the rear view mirror. "It's alright E, we'll get you to give us one of your famous speeches someday. His teacher, Mrs. Hollis, called us to brag about his history presentation last week, Dick. Looks like we've got ourselves a politician in the works."

Eli rubbed his face in embarrassment. "I didn't chicken out. I just don't want to do it. And the only reason why Mrs. Hollis liked my presentation was cause Olivia made me wear that stupid George Washington costume."

"It was cute," Olivia, said half offended. "And I worked hard that. He looked great Dickie."

"So what are you saying, if we make you wear the costume, you'll do the speech?" Elliot pushed his son's buttons a little further for fun, but Eli wasn't in the mood.

Olivia lightly swatted Elliot on the shoulder to shut him up.

"I'm sure you wouldn't have done it at his age either. He can give his thanks just by being there."

Dickie gnawed on his gum with a slacked jaw and put in his two cents. "Ah, it's not a big deal. He didn't know her anyway. He's not even technically related-"

Both Olivia and Elliot turned around and shot daggers right at Dickie's face.

"What?"

Dickie popped the gum bubble he was working on and looked at them like they had five heads.

"Not related to who," Eli asked with a dropped mouth. "Who am I not related to?"

Dickie then realized he had just said too much. "Ow…I'm sorry. I didn't know you guys hadn't talked-"

"Shut up!," Elliot yelled.

"I'm sorry, Jesus. You're making a big deal about him growing up and speaking in front of a crowd about a woman he doesn't even remember and you haven't told him?"

"Told me what," Eli begged. He sat on the edge of his seat. For the first time all afternoon his I-Pod left his hands.

"Dickie, shut your mouth, right now. End of Story!"

By this point Elliot had pulled over to the side of the highway. His face was beat red and the whole car was silent.

"Fine." Dickie couldn't believe how crazy his father had become about this subject. "Fine, Dad. You want to live a lie that's fine. But someday he's gonna look in the mirror-"

"Out of the CAR!"

"or need a blood transplant or a kidney-"

"That's ENOUGH!"

"Elliot, stop," Olivia added trying to fizzle the argument before it turned into a full out fistfight. But neither man would stop.

"And he's gonna realize-DAD- that he's only half of-"

"STOP IT," Olivia grabbed Dickie's hands and forced him to stop talking. They both sat staring at each other red and frustrated by the situation. Once she had his focus, her voice melted to an almost hush. "Dickie, don't say that. I don't want to fight. Let us take care of it."

"Fine," he mumbled.

Eli was waiting for an answer, but instead all three of them turned in their seats and Elliot began to drive again.

"So nobody is gonna tell me what that was all about?! I'm sitting right here. I'm not deaf, you know. Is she my mom? Tell me! I want to know."

Elliot held back the rage and calmly ignored him. "I'll explain it to you later, Eli."

"No, I want to know now!"

"Elliot Jay, this is not the time for this conversation, you will respect your mom on her day."

"Which mom, DAD? The one I'm not related to or the one who took her place?"

Olivia's head sunk and an over-whelming amount of tears came pouring from her eyes.

"Liv, " Elliot sighed. "Liv, sweetheart, don't do that. Eli, apologize."

"Tell me!"

"End of subject! Apologize or you're grounded!"

"I don't see what it matters if you tell me now or later?"

"If I have to tell you one more time to drop it, the I-Pod is mine for a month."

"Fine, take it."

Eli handed him the I-Pod but Elliot's hand angrily ignored him and grabbed the tips of Olivia's fingers in an attempt to console her. She pulled away and curled up next to the window.

Eli looked to Dickie for help only to be turned away. "Put your seatbelt on and shut your pie hole, kid."

And that pissed him off the most. Dickie always stuck up for him.

"I hate you all."

Elliot glared at him through the rear view mirror, than chose to ignore him again for Olivia's sake.

The ten-year-old smashed his face on the window and thought to himself. _"All they have to say is that I'm not theirs and I am so out of here. I'm done with this crap! Treat me like a baby. Now, Dickie's telling me what to do. Fuck you, Dickie!"_

**June 18, 2008**

**8pm**

**On the Dot!**

Olivia's door. Elliot stood looking at the gold numbers on the outside of her door for ten minutes now. He could occasionally hear her singing along with the Frank Sinatra music in the background. She was happy.

He spent all day dodging her and his work to search criminal records and collect any and all traces of the man responsible for taking his life away. All efforts left him empty and desperate for a back up plan. Not to mention he still had not gotten any kind of sign or detail from his predator.

He even listened to that damn radio station all day. The only thing sticking out was an interview by Dee Dee Myer on "How to find and keep love in the Middle Ages."

"_Make sure you're honest, Fellas. A single woman over the age of 35 has a lot of trust issues with men. If it wasn't their father it was their boss, and if it wasn't them it was probably some asshole that didn't marry her. Let's face it, women over 35 have walls, people! And playing games isn't how to break them. You have to be honest."_

So far, Elliot was on the path to…a well made shitty job.

The yellow rose he held was starting to grow soft from the sweat on his hand and he decided it was time to knock.

The door opened a crack. Her eyes peaked back at him.

"Come on in. I'm not quite ready."

She took the rose form him and lifted it to her nose.

"Thank you."

He just blushed and dug his hands in his pockets.

She gave him the "one second" nod and tilted her head to the side as she clasped an earring with one hand and closed the spare bedroom door with the other.

"Have a seat."

Elliot's face grew hot with guilt. There she was, just how he knew she would be. Little black dress, strappy high heels, and a flawless face.

He didn't sit.

"Can you turn the music down," she said from the other room.

Frank Sinatra ended "A Moonlight Serenade", and Elliot shuffled his way to the stereo in search of the volume button.

"_**Oh, the shark has pretty teeth dear**_

_**And he shows them, pearly white"**_

Great. Just what he needed, a sign from Frank Sinatra.

"What the hell am I gonna do," He said to himself. "I don't even know where to take her." He flipped on his cell phone one more time to check his messages. Nothing.

"_**Just a jack knife has Macheath dear**_

_**And he keeps it way out of sight**_"

"Did you say something," she called from the bedroom.

Elliot spun towards the sound of her voice. "No! Nope. Just singing."

He hummed out loud, while his eyes scanned the room for an answer.

There were an awful lot of pictures of him in this room. He grinned at the one in particular. He was standing behind her desk, she was laughing, and he was trying to feed her Chinese food. Lake had taken that picture with his cell phone. "Oh, Lake." Elliot wondered how the poor guy was doing.

"_**Never a trace of red."**_

The sad thing about all of these pictures hanging so openly in Olivia's living room is that he wished he could have done the same for her in his own living room. He only had one photo of her and it was quite wrinkled from being unframed and hidden for so long.

As he paced towards the counter a restaurant advertisement next to Olivia's purse caught his eye.

"Batali and Bastianich. A Fine Italian Restaurant…"

On the corner of the glossy advertisement was a piece of scotch tape with a dirty yellowish fingerprint marked on the sticky side.

"_**On the sidewalk, one sunday morning**_

_**Lies a body, oozin life"**_

Frank Sinatra cresendoed in the background.

"_**Someone's sneaking round the corner**_

_**Could that someone be Mack the knife "**_

Elliot clutched the paper and walked back to the stereo.

"Stop…this damn song," he mumbled to himself while futzing with the buttons. After switching the volume from high to higher and changing the music to a very loud radio station, he finally got the thing to a muffled volume. He could still hear the timber of the drum and Frank's low angelic voice, but at least the words were in audible.

"What's the matter, you don't like Frank," Olivia jabbed from the other end of the living room.

He turned. There she was. Just how he pictured her to be. There were no words, no thoughts; just her and a fear tied to the bottom of his gut like a cement bag pulling him to the depths of his grave.

"No," he gulped. "Frank is fine. I'm just not so good with high class stereo systems."

Olivia slow danced her way towards him singing the tune coming from the speakers ", You know that cement is for the weight dear."

"What?"

"You can make a large bet Mackie's back in town," she finished and smirked at him. "Geez, I know I'm a terrible singer, but I'd like to see you do any better."

Elliot placed his eyes back into his head and took in a large breath of air. "Ah…well, you got me there," he replied in an attempt to lighten up his nerves. A drop of sweat fell from his chin.

Olivia gave him that questioning glance and then walked passed him running her fingers across his chest. She knew how to press all the right buttons…on the stereo, that is, and silence erupted around them.

"Frank shouldn't be played on a CD anyway. He's much too classy for digital. Am I right?"

"Always."

"So where are we going, Mr. Stabler?"

"Ah…" He hadn't thought of that. Well he had, but not in the way he would have liked to. First instinct. "Italian?" He mentally hit himself for saying it and almost pulled it off, too.

"Way to plan my date, Stabler."

Almost.

She cocked her hip to the side and sifted through her small purse for her evening wristwatch.

"_You've got 24 hours," growled the voice in Elliot's head._

"No, no…I have a plan." God he if only had a plan.

"Hey, where did you get this," he changed the subject altogether and handed her the Batalie advertisement.

She took it and smiled. "Batalie and Bastianich, I haven't been to this place in years."

"So you didn't get take out?"

"From Batalie and Bastianich? Do I look like Mellon Bank? I think they do a credit check before you can eat in a place like this. I can't imagine what it would take to have it delivered."

"Yeah…." Elliot's eyes glazed over the fingerprint.

Olivia ever so carefully pulled it from his hand. "It was taped to my door, probably by some delivery guy paid to hand out junk mail on his routes. You're not taking me there."

"Taped to the door…"

Olivia chucked the paper into the kitchen trash, but Elliot stopped her. "No…I…just…ah come on, let's go there."

"Are you feeling alright?"

He wanted to say no and run for 'her' life, but the sound of Eli and Kathy screaming on that tape rang louder and louder in his mind.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You're sweating. Do you have a fever?"

She reached for his forehead and he dodged her.

"The only one hot in this room is you, sweetheart. Shall we," he said with yet another forced smile.

Her judgmental eye copped an attitude, but she followed his lead…at least to the door. " But you're not taking me to Batalie's. I think it's high time I surprise you."

"Benson, this is my date. I planned it."

"Really?" Olivia grabbed his hand and led him out the door. "Elliot you are not taking me to that over priced tourist trap. I'm taking you to my surprise and you're going to love it. "

Elliot tried to stall her thoughts. "I…that's wonderful, but I haven't finished surprising you. So, how about you hold onto your surprise…for our second date."

The elevator doors opened and they got inside. "Oh, you think you're getting a second date, do you," she joked. "Well if you don't give me a turn, why should I give you a second date?"

And the banter continued all the way to the cab, until Elliot realized that the meter was almost to 10 and they still hadn't moved away from the building. That and his humor was way off, "I say tomato, you say tahmato, but my way has to happen."

"I believe the phrase is 'let's call the whole thing off' and if you're going to be an ass about it, maybe we should. What's wrong with you? You're not acting like yourself."

She was starting to question him. He gave in.

"Alright, you're right, we'll do your surprise, but afterwards we have to make a pit stop."

He wouldn't dare call his suggestion a surprise. At least he wasn't out rightly lying to her.

Elliot checked his watch a thousand times on the way to their destination. If anything was a surprise, it was that she hadn't noticed that too. She was conveniently blissful all of the sudden. It was intriguing. She was always intriguing.

Her long legs crossed towards him. Every so often her calf would nudge his leg with the bump of the cab ride. He couldn't help but stare at her. He couldn't help but want to scream for her help. He couldn't help but wish that she had stood him up tonight.

"What," she blushed.

"What? What," he replied.

"You're starring."

That he was. And he wasn't about to apologize for it. Not for that. She was his everything, next to his kids, and he was going to betray her if he didn't think of something in the next four hours, fifteen minutes, and three seconds.

Brilliant-back-up-plans were not his forte. They were hers. He sat starring at her hoping for some of her brilliance to bounce back at him. The only things coming to his mind though, were nightmarish visions of this being her last breath of air and the way her lip gloss glittered with the passing street lights.

Then he realized this could be the last time he gets to say it. The last time she would believe him if he said it.

When a man is on the verge of playing with fire and all alone, he can do crazy things, but right now, this 'act' of enlightenment, was far from crazy. It was real and he meant it. So he said it.

"I love you."

"What?"

Even in the dark cab car he could see her glance at the cab driver to make sure he wasn't paying attention.

"You heard me. I love you." His voice was low, but he didn't mind if anybody else heard him.

Her silence was all he needed.

He turned slightly. "I love you, Olivia Benson."

Olivia blushed into awkwardness. He knew she was not one for PDA, but he didn't care. Like I said, he had to do it.

He touched the bone on her ankle with the tips of his fingers.

She watched him as he traced the outer length of her calf and stopped at the bone of her knee.

"I love you," he whispered again.

She went to touch his face and he stopped her with his free hand. Their eyes locked, but he quickly looked away. He loved her so much that he couldn't look into her eyes knowing what he knew.

He kissed the tops of her fingers instead. Lightly he ran his lips over the back of her hand and breathed in the fragrance at her wrist.

The hand at her knee naturally glided further and further up her thigh as he leaned towards her face and whispered into her ear. "I love you."

Her breath grew stagnant from his touch. Almost inaudibly she returned his sentiments.

As her lips formed the words he drew them to his mouth. The leather seats breathed underneath of them as the kiss grew heavy and then light, heavy and then light.

She was horrified that the cab driver would see them. The stiffness in her body read like a book and before she could protest he moved to the lids of her eyes and gently kissed them closed. "He's seen worse."

Olivia let her eyes remain closed. He watched her, almost in tears as she felt the moment from inside and pulled his hand further up her thigh. His thumb tickled the lace on her satin grey Calvin Kline hipsters. He could feel the goose bumps on her legs.

Her hand slowly made it's way down to the bulge between his legs. Her touch co horsed him to tease the outer edge of her own throbbing area.

They moved like it was a game. Her fingers rubbed the length of his member from head to base as he returned the gesture with equal tempo and stride. The whole while she kept her eyes closed and he kept his face close by, lightly nibbling the side of her neck and the tips of her ear lobes.

She let out a slight moan as he entered her slowly with his forefingers. This time he turned to look at the cabby, but the guy was an expert, he knew not to interfere if he wanted a good tip.

He brought her to a deep breathing as he pulled out and teased his way back in. She bit her bottom lip to refrain herself. Something about that drove Elliot wild. His hips moved harder over her cupped hand causing the leather seats to rustled beneath them.

For him not being able to enter her was torture. She unzipped his pants and the hand inside of her became faster.

"Mmph," she gasped through an intense clench of her jaw.

Elliot was completely stricken by the touch of her skin to his foreskin. She moved with the same rhythm that he started. He ached to feel her wet parts around him, but that wasn't going to happen. Even if the driver wasn't here, the dynamics were impossible in this tiny backseat.

As he worked her from the inside out, her hips began to move with him. He could feel her clench up inside and …she was gone. The loud sigh of release escaped from within and just when he thought it was all done, she pulled his hand out from under her skirt and grabbed him like she'd never grabbed him before.

He sat up straight and tall, her head between his legs. It was odd for him to be facing forward with the back of the cab driver's in front of him, while receiving oral sex.

He wiped his hand over his face to hide the overwhelming sensation taking over his body. Knowing that anyone on the street could possibly see him making a sexual face, was also a little daunting, but she was too good to stop her. Her work was starting to become a little nosier than he had hoped. In order to distract his mind from the public interferences, he unrolled the window in hopes that New York would mask their love with its never-ending volumes. It certainly helped.

Faster and wetter he became. She rubbed him in every sensitive area she could find, and just as he was about to release himself of a nine-year curse, the cab driver turned on his hazard lights and pulled next to the curb.

"Go around the block," Elliot gasped.

"Around the block?"

"Yes, YES!"

"Oh…"

"Around the block, Please. Thank YoOu."

Elliot fondled the back of her neck and sucked in a deep gasp of air. She squeezed his hand for moral support, until finally…he came.

The pause was elegant.

She swallowed and fell breathlessly into his lap. If this was the end of the world, Elliot was leaving fairly fulfilled. A blowjob was better than no job.

After a minute, she lifted herself up and straightened out her dress and hair.

He sat back completely whipped. Their eyes met and a stifled fit of laughter came over the both of them.

"Here, sir?" The cab came to a stop.

Elliot wiggled his eye brows at her flushed face and they both irrupted with laughter.

"This'll do," Elliot sighed.

Sixty dollars plus tip, and Elliot had just had his first expensive public oral experience.

They stood on the sidewalk outside of Al's bowling alley laughing. Elliot couldn't keep his hands off of her.

"You ready for my surprise?"

"You mean that wasn't it," he jested.

"Ha, ha. No, that wasn't my surprise, although, I will say you were pretty surprising back there."

"I have to agree, Imean, visa versa. You were-unexplainable."

Her nose crinkled and she pulled his hand towards the bowling alley. "Alright, let's go. I'm taking you in, so close your eyes."

"Liv, I've been to a bowling alley before."

"No that's not why you're closing them."

She pulled him towards the door as he held a hand over his eyes. As they reached the door he stopped her. "Liv, before we do that…"

"I promise, I won't kick you're ass too much."

He half chuckled and pulled her towards him. "You trust me right?"

"Yeah…" Her face grew immediately concerned. "Why?"

"You know that I would never hurt you. Ever. And that I love you."

"Yeah, I know."

"But you trust me?"

"Yes, Elliot, how long have you known me? I trust you. Now let's go."

She started to push him through the door while he spoke.

"Liv, I need you to know that no matter what happens, I need you to trust me."

"Elliot, I do. Now, close your eyes."

He held his hand over his eyes again and spoke to the noisy bowling alley in front of him. "It's very important that you take this seriously, Olivia, because someday, we're gonna be in a situation where it's gonna seem like you can't trust me, but Olivia you have to. So repeat it again. Do you trust me?"

"Yes. Bu do you trust me?"

"What?"

And with that he opened his eyes.

"SURPRISE!!"

The entire NYPD from Elliot's precinct was surrounding him with hats, streamers, and whistles. There was a huge sign in the background that read "Happy Retirement Party! Yeah Old Fart!" in big black letters.

And in the corner of the room were Kathy, Maureen, Kathleen, Beth, and Dickie, joining in on the fun and games.

Elliot was shocked for a number of reasons but more so, he was pissed. The tears filled his eyes at the sight of his kids. He even hugged Kathy.

"They got you good, didn't they," Kathy laughed.

"Where's Eli," Elliot said ignoring the room and searching the crowd.

**AN: OH OH OOOOOOOOOOOOOH…did I get yeah? Maybe not. Pause….crickets…singing- I wanna make love in dis cab! In dis cab! In dis cab! In dis cab! I know your scared baby we don' know what we doin'. On the couch, on the bar, at yo mamma's, in my car. Sexually, chemically, erratically, spastically…..and anything with "lly" will make my neighbor's hoe cry! OWwwwww! I wanna make love in dis cab. In dis cab! In dis cab- AH! I'll stop.**

**Don't be like my grade school pen pal! Review Bitches!**


	5. Strangers in the Night

**AN: Wow, guys, sorry this took me so long. The week has been hellacious! I didn't even get to reply to some of the reviews that I wanted to reply to. Just know that I love them and it's awesome that none of you are shitty pen pals!**

**Oh and Oliviet- Never trust a girlscout. Those bitches are crazy. **

**On a side note-I saw Sex and the City again last night and during the previews- MELONI!! I was so frazzled and tired the first time that I saw that movie that I didn't notice Chris Meloni in the previews!! HOLY COW! I almost fainted. My girlfriends were like- "Girl you're insane." It's just too damn bad that it's a movie with Stupid Diane Lane and Richard Gere. blah-I can't stand Diane Lane and Richard Gere. The pair of them are a tour De force of sappy crap. I can't handle it. And then- why does Meloni always end up playing the "I want to come home" guy?? Is that the only line he knows how to memorize!? Why can't he just be happy without Kathy and Diane Lane! Hello! The prize at the end of that tunnel is good Melon! It's hot! It comes in a package of MH Butterz and some "I'll take anything- BUT- Diane Lane"!! Somebody needs to do a movie and cast Meloni and Hargitay as the love interests. People would pay good shit for that movie! I know I would. I mean, hello, why do you they think people watch SVU. It ain't for the child malestation that is fo' Sho'  
**

**Anyway- back to the story.**

**"Strangers in the Night"**

_**The whole chapter is set in 2008.**_

**Manhattan Bowling Alley.**

Olivia glanced at the party of frozen faced guests. Their smiles were slowly dwindling as Elliot threw a chair and headed for the men's bathroom.

"What just happened? What did you say to him," Olivia snapped at Kathy.

"Nothing, he asked me about Eli and I told him he was with the sitter."

Both women started for the bathroom.

"Hold up, ladies."

Fin touched Olivia on the shoulder and nodded for her to step back. "We got this."

Fin and Munch stepped into the graffiti infested bathroom to find Elliot rinsing his face with cold water.

"Hey man, Cragen, didn't tell us. I over heard him say something to the higher ups. The whole thing was my idea. You can take out what ever you gotta take out on me."

"And me, I bought the black cups," Munch added trying to keep the peace between an already rocky friendship. "Retirement is nothing to be ashamed of, El. If I had a kid, I'd be doing the same thing."

Elliot's hulk like shoulders straightened. The anger in his voice almost growled. "Are you all trying to kill me?"

Munch gave him a confused stare and turned to Fin.

"It was all in good fun, man."

"You call beating the crap out of man at 2am and telling him his kids are in mortal danger is 'all in good fun'? Because I don't. And I really think I might be the wrong guy leaving this unit if you do. You still got those transfer papers filled out, Fin, cause this time I think you should use them."

Fin's chest puffed out with anger. "What the hell, Stabler! I don't even know what you're talking 'bout!"

"Like you don't! You planned this just to get back at me for something I apologized for! Get over it, Tutuola!

"I planned a party not an intervention. And fuck you, you deserved my cold shoulder! Probably, made you wise up, I see the wedding ring is gone and the little black dress is out."

Elliot pushed into Fin's chest. "What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

"You know what it means. And if you hurt any piece of that woman's heart, I will _personally _show up at your doorstep at 2am to beat the crap out of you."

"You mother f-"

"Hey," Munch yelled, forcing himself between the men. "Cut it out. You're both being ridiculous!"

The men struggled to force their tempers into control and turned away from each other. Fin headed for the door, just to be stopped by the low mumble of Elliot's voice over the running sink.

"Ridiculous. Only thing ridiculous is hiring a hit man to take care of a friend. That's pretty fucking ridiculous, but now you aren't even man enough to own up to it. That's how ri-fuck-u-diculous that is! "

"Shut up!," Fin yelled. "Shut the fuck up! The only thing I planned was giving you a chance to redeem yourself. Guess I misjudged you again Mr. Accusation!"

Water droplets flung from Elliot's lips as he yelled. "The man you hired to dislocate my shoulder and bust up my head was a real peace party, Tutuola. Thanks! Thanks for THAT! That really makes me want to 'redeem' myself for you!"

"Elliot, the only guy we hired was the party planner," Munch answered as he handed him a paper towel.

"No Munch! No you didn't! Your partner here tried to play a little trick for "a good time". He thought it'd be real fun to mess with my head! And my kids! That's the lowest part!"

Munch eye balled Fin to stay calm and he shook his head angrily. Before leaving the room he put his hand on the bathroom door and lowly gave them his last words. "You think what you want, Stabler, but I assure you I have no idea what you're talking about!"

All three men paused. Elliot bore a hole through Fin's innocent yet offended eyes. Olivia's voice ran through his head. _"Fin's a straight shooter, Elliot. Why would he do that?"_ She was speaking of the situation with Lake last year, but her words rang true to this day. He started to realize that they weren't lying to him and choked for a breath of air. "So you didn't…."

Their silent stare brought him to a panic. He pushed Munch's hand out of his way, nodded for Fin to move, and walked out of the bathroom. "Olivia!"

"What's wrong with you," she whispered.

The fifty or so guests starred at them with their punch cups and cheeto fingers.

"Did you see a man at the bar last night?"

Her eyes darted sideways in a confused thought. "N…no."

"Liv, just tell me you hired the guy and this was you're way of getting me here."

"Elliot, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Liv, I won't be mad, just tell me! Tell me yeah did it!"

"It's just a party, Elliot. I thought you'd enjoy this."

"No-NO! That is not what I'm talking about. Tell me you hired the man…in our building last night."

Casey over heard him use the words "Our and building" and gave them a playful eyebrow.

Elliot ignored her. "Tell me you knew about the party two days ago and your reaction was a lie. Tell me the court hearing and the radio station was just a distraction. I know. And it's fine. Just tell me!"

"Elliot, I don't….I didn't even know about the party until this morning when you left for court."

Fin stepped in between the tight hold Elliot had on Olivia's arm and pulled him away. "Stabler, nobody knows what you're talking about."

" The party was a last minute thing and we didn't tell Liv, because we didn't want her to slip up," Casey added.

"Aw, thanks," she lashed out, with a slap to Casey's shoulder.

"Then what just happened to me? Who hired that guy?"

"Nobody did. That's what we're trying to tell you," Fin lightly explained.

"Then what's this? What's this on my head," he yelled, while pointing out his stitches. "What is it! My imagination! You think I hit myself?!"

Olivia went to touch his head. Her mouth hung open.

"I was attacked last night. He said he'd kill you and my kids and Ka- you," he continued. His hand pointed towards Kathy and the kids. "Don't you answer the phone anymore?"

"Me," Kathy gasped.

"I called the house fifty times in the past twenty-four hours! Where the hell have you been?"

"Elliot, we were in Disney World," Kathy jumped. "I told you that. We just got back three hours ago. I haven't even checked the answering machine yet. If it was that important why didn't you call my cell?"

"I did call your cell phone! Disney Wor- you never told me that?"

"Yeah, she did, Dad," Kathleen added.

"You told me that weeks ago! I don't get reminders anymore? You don't check in with me every now and again?"

"Calm down Dad," Maureen said with an eye roll.

"You know, I thought you were dead! DEAD!"

The whole room grew silent. They weren't sure if he was having a mental breakdown or dead serious.

Kathy looked to Olivia for help, but Olivia was a bit rusty when it came to this side of the triangle. She made her first attempt at Elliot Stabler wrangling outside of the job. "El, why don't we get you some water and-"

But Elliot cut Olivia off. "And since when do we have the money for you to take the kids to Disney World?"

Kathy blinked away.

"We can't even afford Dickie's college and you took them to Disney World!"

"You bought a Harley! And I don't have to explain myself to you."

She also didn't want to. She was still ashamed at herself for taking the check in the first place. She'd planned on throwing it out, but that sweet old woman called her again a year later. This time just to thank her for her generous donation and a check up on any updates. Before she knew it, she was talked into five airplane tickets and a three day get away, sans baby and husband or ex-husband, in this case. Her eyes turned away from Elliot's and she grabbed her purse. "I should get back to Eli. I haven't seen him in four days. I was just dropping the kids off. Maureen, if there's any problem, call me-"

"There's no problem, I can take care of my own kids, thanks" Elliot jabbed. "Liv, can I use your cell phone?"

Kathy's eyes flickered towards Olivia, who grew red hot from the feet up.

A thousand prickles of shame and awkwardness ran down her spin.

Kathy waved a kiss towards her four kids and headed for the door.

Most of the guests started to take her lead as Elliot dialed the sitters number to check in with Eli.

People started grabbing their things and filing out of the building. Don apologized to as many of them as he could, while Elliot's closest friends sat around him with all ears.

"Munch, he was real. This man was in my hallway and he told me that if I didn't supply him with Olivia he was going to kill…" His eyes caught sight of his kids, who were standing with his brother, Liam. He couldn't even finish the sentence.

Munch sat back in a bright orange bowling Alley chair writing down what was being said. He looked up from his notebook. "What else do you remember?"

"There was a tape," Elliot finished. "Wait…"

"What?"

"Kathy was on that tape. How did she get on that tape?"

Olivia lightly rubbed his shoulder. "I'm sure it was manipulated or that there's a viable explanation. Let's pinpoint this guy first befoe you go upsetting Kathy. Did you get the building cameras?"

"Yes. How did she get on that tape? What was that?"

Olivia looked to George Huang who stood near by trying to make out Elliot's state of mind. He subtly gave her a warm glance. Which to Olivia meant, that he believed the story.

"Radio, voices, sound manipulation…"

Munch wrote down the words Elliot shot out at them and looked up to the group with concern.

"He didn't take my wallet he wanted Olivia…he wanted Olivia." Elliot continued to brainstorm and then he stopped. "I need to call Melinda. Where is Melinda?"

George Huang lifted his finger. "Working late. Elliot, I think you need to go home and get some sleep. When was the last time you slept?"

"No, I can't sleep. Something's not right."

He flipped the cell phone open and headed to a quieter area.

"Elliot," Olivia attempted to say.

"Liv, tell my kids they're to stay with their grandma. Put a patrol outside of the house. I gotta call Melinda and some one should follow Kathy. Just in case…."

Olivia opened her mouth to stop him "El…" And he was gone.

She looked over at the four teenagers standing next to the white sheet cake like a pack of orphans.

"We heard," Kathleen said with a cold sulk.

Olivia nodded uncomfortably. She felt like they could smell the sex on her breath. She inwardly squirmed with anxiety.

"I could drive you there-"

"No need," Maureen answered, cutting her off. "Uncle Liam will do it."

Liam threw his keys in the air and nodded for them to head out. "I got it, Olivia."

His accent was thick and Irish. He was the older, wiser, Irish version of Elliot. Very hot. She could see why Elliot never brought him around her….well that, and he lived in Ireland. Liam was the eldest of the Stabler clan. He was sixteen years older than Elliot and he grew up in Ireland until they came to live in NYC when he entered High School. He lived there now and came back to the city for special occasions. Liv, hoped this wasn't the only occasion he was in town for, since it was so obviously a bust.

"Nice to see you again, Olivia. You'll fix my brother?"

She smiled indicating she'd try and he winked at her. "You always do."

She blushed knowing that he knew about her. He knew about her as if Elliot had told him many stories, and to her surprise he probably had. She rubbed the side of Liam's shoulder warmly. "Thank you. We'll have to catch up another time. You have a good night now."

Maureen attempted to smile in Olivia's direction. "Thanks, Liv."

The four of them shuffled for the doors. Dickie nodded in Liv's direction. "Night."

"Goodnight, you guys."

The unit sat around a bowling station with one eye towards the glass door where Elliot stood talking on the phone and another eye contemplating what to do or believe.

"Guys, I didn't see a man at that bar last night," Liv said. "And he's been acting really strange lately. The Harley, the divorce, retirement….can stress cause hallucinations?"

"Yes," George answered. "Stress can cause fatigue which in turn could provide vivid hallucinations. He also has a pretty large bump on his head, but that's actually what makes me believe him."

Olivia lifted her brow with question and George knelt down beside her to explain. "To get that type of injury he would have had to have had something fall on him or been hit. It's too high on his head for him to have fallen. That and the cell phone had prints on it."

"What cell phone," Munch asked.

"The one…" George hesitated his slip up. "I…I stopped by the labs earlier today and Melinda showed me some things. She wasn't supposed to, but she was concerned about him. The prints weren't in the system, but they were there along with droplets of saliva and blood."

"This is all crap, "Fin grumped. He'd just finished eating a piece of cake on a black paper plate and he was licking his fingers. "I can tell you what's wrong with him. He's an asshole who needs to take a chill pill and get laid. Point blank. Can we all go home now?"

The group of them starred at him with disappointment and he tossed the mini plate into the trash bag next to him. "Don't look at me. She's the one who dropped that ball."

"Alright enough," Don yelled. "Put your personal lives away. We need to take this seriously for at least tonight until we figure out what's going on. Fin, I want you to go to the Stabler residence and keep a watch on Kathy and Eli."

"Cap, this isn't even an SVU case! Can't you send some PD lacky?"

"That's an order! Do it now, or I assign you to desk duty."

Fin stood up from his chair. His light eyes could have lit a fire. The muscles under his Hawaiian shirt bulged with anger and he turned almost colliding into Elliot on the way out.

"She's not answering," Elliot sighed. "Where's he going?"

"With Kathy," Cragen said. "I suggest you go home and get some shut eye. I'll put Munch on the building cameras and we'll get a hold of Melinda."

Elliot started to protest, but Don's hand brushed him into silence. "I don't want to hear it Stabler. Go home, be with your kids, do what you gotta do, and call me this time if you remember anything. No more Private detective work. You got it? It's dangerous and illegal."

**SCENE**

Olivia held onto about ten black helium filled balloons and a box of cake as she and Elliot walked toward a busier intersection to catch a cab.

She was the essence of a party for death in her black dress and those black balloons. He watched her shuffle the sidewalk with her open toed heels. He could feel it coming.

"Why didn't you tell me," she asked quietly.

"I couldn't...but I had a plan." He lied.

"A plan?"

He reached down by his ankle and pulled out a gun strapped to his leg.

"And how is that a plan," she blinked with hesitation.

She could always call his bluff. "I...you're right, I lied. I don't know, Liv. I just know that I was told that he'd know if I told you and that if I told you things could get bad."

"So you were going to leave me with this man...unarmed and un-notifyed?"

"No! No, Liv, no I wasn't goign to leave you. I'd never leave you. And I had a gun. I paniced, okay. What would you have done?"

She looked to the ground and silently agreed she probably would have done the same.

Elliot lifted his hand for a cab and they both got in. Their earlier passion had been easily defused by the rust of a secret. The black balloons pilled up in between them holding them apart like a thick black clodu of smoke. All they could see was window, darkness, and balloon. Elliot was sunk.

"Where you headed," asked the driver.

"512 Madison. Manhattan," Olivia sullenly replied.

They sat in silence. Every now and again Elliot would catch a glimpse of the side of her face. She was inches away from him, yet her eyes seemed so far away. The radio in the front lowly played a few commercials. Elliot searched for Olivia's hand underneath the balloons.

"Hey," he said quietly.

"I know," she shortly replied. "You love me."

"Yeah…" His hand moved back to his lap. "Liv, you believe me right?"

She paused uneasily. "Elliot, I don't know what to believe anymore. I feel like I don't even know you." Yet, even as she said it, she knew she believed him. "Let's talk about it tomorrow okay?"

"Good deal." He replied, rubbing his eyes. The stress hung on to his face. And now she was disappointed in him. The hell got thicker.

"_You're listening to 91.3. Easy Listening with, Good Morrow. That's right, you too can have a good morrow. All you need is time and patience. Sometimes…relationships take a little of both. Sometimes you will never understand why you're living the life you're living, but that doesn't mean you can't have what you want. It is time for us to be heard…by others and ourselves. Tonight is that night, ladies and gentlemen-"_

Elliot pushed the balloons out of his face and popped his head through the glass window of the cab. "Hey, can you turn that up? Thanks." The driver turned the dial and Elliot peered through the balloons at Olivia. "Liv."

"Hm?"

"Listen to that?"

"_We don't have to be prisoners of our own life. We can take back what is rightly ours and we can get what we want. And really, what we all want, is another person to believe in us. Am I right? Find that one person who believes in you and don't ever let them go, ladies and gentlemen. Don't ever let them go."_

"Sounds familiar," Olivia said behind the balloons.

"_I want to hear about your special someone. The lines are now open. We'll see what you have to say after this."_

"Good Morrow? Morrow….what kind of name is--"

"Morrow," came spilling out of both of their mouths

The radio Morrow's DJ voice was now putting on a fake Italian accent and giving his advertisement of the restaurant of the week.

"_Cao Bella! __B__atali and Bastianich's fine Italian restorante is Amore and more! Your sweety will sigh for this manly manicotti. She'll cry for the length of this luscious linguini. And then when you're done….she'll die for you. You've got a life time but we close at midnight."_

Elliot pushed the balloons away frantically, causing them to become more of a problem.

"Turn around," Elliot yelled.

But the cabby kept driving.

"Turn around, Please!"

"Elliot calm down, we should call Cragen."

The cab drove through an alley way and the man up front closed the clear divider. Olivia flipped open her phone but it was dead.

"What...the.."

"Hey! What are you doing," Elliot yelled. He slammed the palm of his hand on the window then reached for the door handle. But there wasn't one.

Morrow continued with yet a new voice. _ "Hey lady, you so fine. Why you be wear'n that dress for him? He don't love you. He don't need you. A yellow rose is so friendly isn't it? I'd give you 10 dozen red ones. Fresh from the rose market. Go to Aunt Joann's flower shop for the best roses! So fresh…it's a crime."_

Olivia grabbed for the door. "We're stuck in here. He locked us in here!" She then grabbed Elliot's leg. "Elliot, the gun. Hey, NYPD, pull over!"

And he did, but nobody could see them in the sacluded allwy. Olivia pounded on the window as the man got out of the cab and closed the door.

"Hey!"

Elliot started pushing the balloons out of his way. He could barely see Olivia let alone figure out how to gage a shot with a gun.

"Pop the balloons," he cried. She started popping the balloons with her nails. It was harder than it looked.

"Elliot, shoot the door out."

"I'm getting there! There aren't any handles. Hold your ears!"

There was a loud shot to the window, but it didn't budge.

"DAMN-IT! Arrrr…," Elliot kicked the divider wall in from of him and shook his head.

"What happened?"

"What," he yelled. His ears were ringing.

"It didn't work."

"Bullet proof!"

Olivia popped another balloon. "He's coming back."

Elliot pushed at the cracked window with his shoulder. Without a moment to think about the situation any further, the man leaned on the wall next to the cab and lite a cigarette. Elliot continued to push against the window, but it was too thick. He started to feel dizzy and he noticed that Olivia had stopped screaming.

"Liv?"

"Elliot, I feel funny...he's gassing us."

"Liv…"

She limped over into his arms. The balloons that were left, mangled his face and he too took one last breath of air into blackness.

**SCENE**

Kathy reached the front door of her house. She carried a bag of Eli's things on her shoulder and the sleeping one year old on the other. His sweet little face was covered with a light blanket while he soundly slept.

As she juggled the keys in her hand the porch step squeaked behind her.

"Hu- ah…"

"It's Fin."

Her mace ready hand dropped to her side. Her heart rate fell back to a normal level. "Jeez, you scared me to death."

"Sorry. I just wanted to let you know that I was put on duty to watch over your place for the night. Just until we get Elliot's story straightened out."

"Oh…okay," Kathy said a little frazzled. She reached for the keyhole, but dropped Eli's bag spilling some of the contents onto the porch.

"Let me help you."

"Oh, thanks."

He waited behind her in the dark fumbling for dropped toddler clothing and binkies.

"Looks like your porch light is out."

"Yeah, that must have just happened. I'll have to get a light bulb."

She opened the door and clicked on the light switch on the wall. Darkness.

"Hmm, maybe the power is out," she said. "I'll get the flashlights."

Fin walked into the house and placed the upended bag on the floor.

"Kath-if you can't find one, I have one in my car-"

"MMAH! AHH!"

"Kathy?" A struggle could be heard from the back of the house. Eli started crying.

"Shit."

Fin ran for the muffled sounds coming from the kitchen.

His gun was out. "NYPD! Back off I will shoot."

All of the sudden there was silence. But Fin could feel the bodies in the room. He tried to sneak in on them, but was thrown by the many squeaks of the floorboards. Then without warning something met the side of his head and he was out cold.

The two shadows in the darkness held Kathy and Eli's limp bodies over their shoulders and headed for the back door.

**AN: Dun DUn DAHHHH! The plot thickens. I have most the next chapter finished, but I didn't want to put it in this chapter cause it would be massively long, so give me a few days to tweek it. In the mean time, drop me some lines!**


	6. Still

**AN: Hey hey! Sorry this took so long. I've been mad busy with family and work. But I have to tell you all--because you're the only people who understand this side of me. My little four-month identical twin nephews came to visit me from Pittsburgh this past week. It was my first time meeting them. AND AND- one of them is named Eli! He was named after some football player-BARF- not SVU. But all week...every time I held him…I sang him the L&O theme song! He loved it!...I think... LOL! He has secretly become my new favorite nephew! Cute as a button! They should use him on the show. **

**So- back to you and this fic. This chapter was really…really…REALLY hard to write. Which is part of why it took so long.  
**

**I'm pretty sure you'll all be horrified from it's content and I hope you don't hate me. So…WARNING--if you're a squeamish person and you can't handle rape…you might not want to read this. **

**Honestly, I think I just horrified myself by writing it. But, strangely enough, I felt the need to go there. I feel like so many fics- want to go to the "Rape" thing and then don't go all the way or cop out because they're afraid to think it. But I just kind of feel like --"AW fuck" I'm gonna go there. A: it happens and B: it's a natural fantasy to have. Notice how I said Fantasy- as in..not an act! As in, I don't condone rape! Okay, just read the damn thing and tell me what you think!**

**OH OH- AND- It's Merritt Rook. Not Morrow Rook. I used the name Morrow in the last chapter because some dill hole had that on their website. So it totally f-ed up my fic. But It's Merritt Rook. And now you're not surprised. I suck! Blame Google! Google's fault! Boo! We hate you google!**

**Still**

They awoke in pitch black. Elliot could feel that his limbs were tied to a chair. His wrists were held together behind his back. He couldn't move. Without logic or touch he sensed the warmth of her body behind him. "Liv?"

Light breathing was all that replied.

"Liv," he whispered again.

Her fingers moved and slightly touched the back of his hand.

"Livia…"

"Hmmm…uhhhhh…."

Her groans came to life switching his thoughts into action.

He grabbed for her, straining for the ropes wrapped around her wrists.

"Elliot?"

"I'm right here. Can you move your hands?"

"Where are we?"

"I don't know. Merritt Rook's secret lair," he said with sarcastic disdain. "I don't know, sweetheart. What I would like to know is who the hell gave him a radio show? America's most wanted and he managed to get his own radio show!"

"Keep your voice down, we don't know what this place is. We're probably being watched."

Elliot tried to move his hands around the ropes. They both grunted and pulled, to no avail. "Did the ropes loosen any?"

"Ah…not really."

"Try to bring your hands down, I think I can slip it over your wrists if I can find the knot."

As he said that a loud electrical pop sounded and the lights came on.

They froze, Elliot held onto her hands. The room was empty and reminded Elliot of a run down interrogation pen. Red brick walls surrounded them and a glass window appeared on one wall in front of them.

A hot light with a bare bulb surrounded by a saucer of metal hung inches from their heads. They both blinked to see what was happening.

And then Merritt Rook's voice sounded from a speaker in the corner.

"It's not easy being an escape artist. Houdini only failed once, but it was deadly. It's a good thing for me, I was a member of the boy scouts. Too bad for you though, those knots are flawless."

"What do you want with us Merritt?" Elliot was not about to dick around.

"My, my, my, such tone. What's the matter Elliot, not into a little foreplay?"

"What do you want?"

The lights behind the glass clicked on and Merritt could be seen under a dim bulb. His dark brimmed glasses glared the intensity of his eyes, but Elliot could tell by the smile on his face that he was enjoying every detail of the situation.

"What does any pissed off criminal want? Justice, revenge, power, a sense of purpose in the world."

"Save it for your dairy, Rook. Why did you bring us here," Olivia started. Her voice was just as intense as his smile.

But Merritt wasn't fazed. "You'd know all about my dairy, Benson. I hear it's similar to yours. Sure you don't want to join my league of Justice before it's too late?" His voice was riddled with excitement.

"This is quite the dog and pony show for justice," Elliot replied.

"No different from the Court house. You should feel right at home."

"How about handcuffs and a life sentence," Olivia grunted. Her wrists were slowly loosening the ropes. "I think that'd be pretty just."

"Oww, down girl, I'm saving the handcuffs for later," Merritt teased. "Right now I just want to bring out the monster in you."

Elliot kept his focus and held onto Olivia's ropes. She pulled at them to wiggle her wrists free.

"You two are quite the team. So how long have you been fucking?"

Olivia stopped. She could see Elliot's glance in the corner of her eye as if waiting for her to make the first call on that subject.

"You should know," Olivia threw out.

Elliot followed her lead.

"Or did the asshole you paid to do your dirty work, fail to bring you the non-existent sex tapes," Elliot added.

Neither one of them was much into holding a tongue.

Merritt smiled. "I've heard you're a tease Benson. Couldn't throw the old dog a bone, Ay. Ha! I guess that's why he went back home. That's amusing. Oh, but don't worry, Liv, I can tell by Elliot's blush red ears, he's at least thought about it. Which is all I needed to know."

Elliot dropped Olivia's hands momentarily.

"Did I strike a cord," Merritt laughed.

Olivia refused to allow Elliot the space. She grabbed for his hand this time. She didn't care about impressing or suppressing; she just needed for them to stay focused and to stick together.

Merritt sighed with satisfaction. He sat behind his desk and spoke into a microphone as if he were airing the conversation on the radio. "This is quite the scenario, folks. Really, I couldn't write this shit on my best day. Here I am, playing 'Simon Says' with your 'significant others', and really, all I needed to do was fuck with the source at hand. I can't believe I missed it actually. It was right in front of my face the whole time! Ah, but I should have known. It's always the cliché plot lines that make it into the final draft. SO-Tell me something, detectives, why even have the significant others? I mean, really, is it necessary? Did you crave for conflict or are you both just too afraid of losing the 'rosy glow' of forbidden love?"

Elliot's anger boiled over and he jerked his body around in the chair. "What do you know about love, Merritt!"

"Calm down. You're making it personal," Olivia mumbled.

Merritt grew more and more excited with each turn of Elliot's slow burning fuse. "That's right, Benson. Wouldn't want to get personal. Look at my little heroes. Giving up their love for the Man! That is dedication to the core. I do hope they've paid you well for all of that overtime. Was it worth the wait? Love?"

Elliot listened to Olivia's hand squeeze and didn't answer.

Merritt was still amused. "Ha, ha….I guess finding a loyal 'unit' is like trying to find an apartment in Manhattan!"

He laughed hysterically at his own bad jokes. "Course 'Liv' couldn't hold her end of the deal. She couldn't even hold a date, let alone her lonely life. You should have evicted her right then, Elliot! Ha, ha, huuu…but love is a fickle thing. What do the Catholic's call it, huh, Elliot? Monogamy? Oh, no, wait. Baggage. Baggage that never leaves. Just keeps piling up like a painful explosion…popping up at all the right or WRONG times."

Merritt paced the room while watching them react to his tangent. When he had built enough momentum his pacing stopped next to a figure sitting beside his desk, and he pulled off the sheet that covered it.

"Kurt," Olivia lightly whispered.

Kurt sat strapped to a chair. He was gagged and badly beaten. Merritt continued his rant.

"Thought you'd enjoy a reunion, Liv. Thought you'd like to show off your new man to the Kurt. It's great fun to rub it in, isn't it?"

Olivia's mouth dropped and Merritt fed off of it's hang. "Ah, you didn't think I knew about Kurt, did you? Kurt and I have been paling around for quite some time. Haven't we Kurt?"

Kurt looked at Olivia and then to the floor. Merritt slapped him in the head. "Talk about a sheep. If he could have only grew some balls like mine, he could have had his picture on your mantel too."

"Shut up," Olivia yelled.

"Yeah, that's right, do you think he noticed your lack of commitment all on his own. Come on! Look at him! He's a dip! But we all know, you can sure pick'em, Benson! I told him to be skeptical! I pushed him to question you! I made him give you an ultimatum! It was ME- that leaked your info and ME that caused you to run like the wimp that you are."

"Glad I could be your balls. Do you feel like a man now," Olivia replied.

Elliot grasped her hand at an attempt to get her to hold back. Still a slight grin came over his face. He loved when she was all fired up.

"What are you smiling at lover boy? You think that's funny. You're gonna laugh riot at the surprise I brought for you!"

Merritt walked out of the light and pulled an office chair with Kathy tied to it towards him.

"Kathy was a piece of cake. Trained everyone but the wife, didn't you Elliot. Thought she was safe in your little castle built for six…or is it seven now?"

"Kathy…"

"She and I go way back. We're pals from the good ol' days when all I wanted was a baby and my dead wife back! Eh…but it's so much more than that now, now isn't it?"

Kathy's mouth was gagged and tears poured from her eyes. Merritt touched the side of her face with his finger.

"I've done a lot of homework on you two. I've spent many a day planning and many a time recruiting, but nothing beats fate, baby. Nothing beats the timing I had with you and Kathy."

He lifted himself from the ground and walked to his desk. With a powerful laziness he slide into a chair and lifted his feet onto the metal desk. He grabbed a toothpick and mimicked Elliot for added effect as he bore a hole into his head with his devious glare. "Two months ago, when I was doing my rounds (tracking your every move) I spotted this sapling of a woman through my binoculars. I thought I would just die. Sad blue eyes, mousey blonde hair, an absent husband, and a baby on her hip. She was the face I would never forget in all my years of insanity." With that he chuckled to himself, yet again.

"They say you're not crazy if you can admit it. So what am I? My sweet little Catholic housewife. What am I?"

As he said this to her she turned her face away in fear. Merritt never touched her, but his presence was equally violating. He watched her cringe as he spoke.

"She was my first con. Bet you didn't know that, Elliot. I plucked her good, too. She had no idea what she opened her legs to that day. Still doesn't, thanks to you. You're so good at covering my tracks, Stabler."

Kathy looked up at Merritt with confusion and pain written all of her face. He lifted his feet from the desk and knelt down beside her. "Yes, Kathy darling, do you remember me?"

In his best little old woman voice he spoke directly to her. "Manhattan Fertility Clinic. Hope you're not all tied up. How's the little one? Have you donated since the birth? Did you name him after me? Because Kathy…," Merritt's voice grew very low and whispered. "Little Eli...he's not yours."

Kathy processed the voice. Images of her visit to the fertility bank flashed through her mind.

**To moment**

"_I thought that it would take longer," she said to the doctor._

"_Oh no…well…hang on." Rook's eyes dodged her question from behind the medical mask. He pulled the tube from within her and went back inside to waste time. _

"_Ouch!"_

"_Ow, sorry dear, almost done."_

_Before Kathy could say another word, Rook was hastily moving towards the door. "Okay, finished. Thank you for dropping in-seeing us- yeah, anytime now."_

**End**

Kathy screamed through the gag. Her tears became heavier. Elliot tossed his weight beneath the ropes. "What did you do to her?! Where's Eli! Kathy, we're gonna get you out of here. Tell me what's going on!? NOW!"

"Oh, El," Merritt tisked. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Kathy was just that…a bearer."

"What are you talking about?"

"You've been raising someone else's bastard, Elliot." He paused for the reaction, but Elliot was too befuddled and sickened to say or do anything.

"Don't you get it!," Merritt jumped. "I took some eggies from one basket and some soldiers from another, and when your wife was most vulnerable I mixed them up made them grow. Like a game really. I didn't think it'd work but…HEY, pretty ingenuous for a first attempt!" He walked over to the door and pressed a red button near the intercom then sat on the edge of his desk basking in all his glory. "I wasn't even sure if I fertilized the damn things. I just kind of threw them in there and-"

The door opened and a woman dressed in browns and grays walked in with Eli in her arms. "-Poof! There he is." The one-year-old baby Eli started to cry when he saw his mother. He grunted and wiggled in the hefty woman's arms, but she was unfazed by his emotional tantrum. "Meet Helga," Merritt smiled. "Eli's new nanny."

Both Olivia and Elliot were horrified at the picture he was creating in front of them. Merritt watched with great intensity.

"Well?"

"You're insane," Elliot yelled. "Let me out of here! What do you want from me?"

Merritt didn't like that answer, so he instantly ignored it.

"I love this part of the plot," he smiled as he patted Helga and nodded for her to leave. "You gotta love side kicks. You'd be surprised what a little manipulation will do to a person's moral. Helga works through fear and threats of deportation." Merritt clapped his hands and continued, sighing in a reminiscent state. "Ahhhh, it was almost two years ago, but it was like yesterday to me. Just knowing that she was out there…with my creation. Raising it and loving it. That's all I needed back then."

Elliot remained slack jawed and silent. A sick feeling arose in his stomach. Olivia too, was stuck in a daze. She had completely let Elliot's hands go. Her eyes stayed wide as she tried not to imagine the thought of Merritt killing Elliot's pride. She could sense the hopeless anger coming from his constant rope pulling. Merritt just kept on talking.

"What are the odds of that? I just wanted to spread the joy of life, but to give that joy to the likes of you….A man that would one day be the ruin of me. I should have done a background check," He laughed. "I saved your marriage, Stabler. And how do you repay me? Divorce. You were going to abandon our child. The child that- I GAVE TO YOU! You were going to leave the woman who ironed your shirts for twenty years."

"_I ironed them…actually,"_ Olivia thought to herself.

Elliot blinked back to life a little as Merritt reminded him that he still had the upper hand in this battle. There was only one person who knew his life and only one person who did his and it certainly wasn't Kathy.

**ANI love ironing references!**

Merritt continued. "I handed you life, like a freshly stuffed turkey in a hot oven and all you want to do is play the hero and win the babe! That's such a crock of comic book shit!"

Olivia came back to and squeezed Elliot's hands. "Don't listen to him. He's a liar. He's just trying to break you."

Merritt erratically slapped the glass between them. "OH! OH, I'M SORRY, WAS I TALKING TO YOU!"

Olivia swallowed hard and stopped. Her eyes glanced up at Merritt and then to Kurt who was now starring at her with an apologetic face. She could still see his broken heart when she looked at him.

Merritt became infuriated. "This-is-not-a-game! I am in charge here! Not you!"

"Yes, you're in charge," Olivia said matter of factly .

"Don't patronize me! I know your bullshit cop games! Fuck that! I own you!"

He pulled a gun from his belt and without a moment's notice, he shot Kurt in the temple. He was died on the spot.

Olivia gasped and clenched her eyes tightly closed. "Hu..ah…why did you..I can't believe you jus…"

"Criminology 101. There's nothing worse than a criminal that has nothing to lose. You WILL cooperate."

The image of Kurt's blood spattering etched itself into the backs of her eyelids. Elliot grabbed her hands and held onto her tightly.

"Shhh…Liv…it's okay. Don't look. It's okay."

Merritt smiled as he wiped Kurt's blood from his face. Without taking his eyes from Olivia's quivering body he called towards the door behind him. "Parker, you're needed."

Elliot watched as a tall figure came into view. It was the man who attacked him.

"Go welcome Detective Benson to her new form of existence, before her smart ass mouth makes me blow a gasket," Merritt graveled.

Olivia opened her eyes as the door to the room swung towards them and the bulky corrections Officer that Olivia had gotten fired during her under cover job, for sexual harassment, came strolling in.

"Matthew Parker…"

"Who…," Elliot asked trying to get a look at him from a side ways glance.

Matthew Parker took in every inch of Olivia's body, from her glittering high heels to the skin of her legs, and the tight black skirt that was inching it's way up her thigh.

"Benson. I've been waiting for this day a long time. You put my buddy behind bars and you get me canned…it's time for some pay back?"

Merritt giggled like a schoolboy as he watched Parker and Olivia.

The closer he got to Olivia's face the more frantic Elliot became.

"Back off, Asshole! You got yourself fired! Don't you touch her!"

Parker laughed as he ran his finger up her leg.

A panic grew over her body and she held her eyes closed. She could feel Elliot throwing his body around to loosen the ropes. His hand brushed against hers. "Elliot..."

Her top lip quivered and she breathed for a way out of her worst nightmare.

"What's a matter Benson, you 'fraid I'm gonna harass you?"

"Don't you touch her, you pig!"

"Shut up you push over."

Elliot thrashed his body for release on the ropes. He too began to panic.

Parker slid his hand further up her skirt.

"Don't," she clenched. Her thighs held his hand from going any further. Tears rolled down her face.

"Liv, don't stop fighting," Elliot yelled. His hands shook hers and she held onto her strength.

Her thighs gripped Parker's hand. She did her best to stop him. She tried to head butt him, but he was too quick, and moved out of the way.

"Ho, ho, ohhh, we got a feisty one, today."

Parker seemed to enjoy the challenge. His dirty fingers twisted at the skin on her thigh and she let out a cry of pain, while he reached past her underwear.

Elliot moved his chair all about in uncontrollable panic. "Liv!"

But Parker ignored him. He grazed Olivia with his rough nails and she screamed and squirmed. The fearful discomfort welled up from within and she was trapped in a weak mental state. "Stop! Please stop!"

Elliot was in hysterics. "Merritt, don't do this! God damnit! Stop this! It's gone too far!"

Merritt's voice came over the loud speaker. "Parker, don't get greedy. Elliot's got a point."

His voice paused and Parker's hand pulled back.

"You can have her when I'm through," Merritt ended. "We need that video."

Parker curled his upper lip and ripped the crotch of her underwear as he pulled away. Olivia heavily gasped for air. Her insides were curdling with fear and nausea. Elliot had managed to pull some of the ropes from his ankle. He continued to be difficult.

Parker moved away from Olivia and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a blue pill with his cigarette-stained fingers and flicked out a knife from his belt.

"We're gonna have a little fun, Stabler. This was my idea," he smiled as he walked over to Elliot.

Elliot looked up at Parker. Parker's devilish smile almost didn't faze him.

"Open your mouth."

For a second Elliot tried to refuse. "What is that for?"

Parker just grinned.

Merritt's voice again came over the loud speaker. "Elliot, don't try anything stupid. I have plenty of bullets left."

Kathy screamed from the other side of the wall as Merritt grabbed the thick of her hair and pulled.

"What is that," He asked.

"Do you want me to choke you," Parker growled. "Open your damn mouth. I'm sure an old fart like you…you know what this is."

Elliot knew what the pill was. He could see where this was going and he didn't like it one bit. "Ah-un. No way! I'm not doing this! You're gonna have to kill me first, Rook! I will never become the likes of you. You sick piece of shit!"

A gunshot went off behind the glass. Merritt stood next to Kathy. Her arm was now bleeding from the bullet wound. Her cries of pain became louder.

Olivia jumped at the site of Kathy being shot. She couldn't handle watching one more person go down, due to their underestimation of Merritt Rook. "Just do it," she whispered.

Parker chuckled at their inability to control the situation and Elliot opened his mouth.

The erotic blue pill hit his tongue and the blade of Parker's knife ran under his neck.

"Swallow it."

Elliot swallowed. Within minutes a warm feeling came over him. He grabbed at Olivia's hands to assure her he would never hurt her, but Parker pushed them away.

"You'll get plenty of time to touch what I tell you to touch."

Parker then took his knife and cut the ropes on Olivia's legs and chest. Elliot turned to see what was going on.

"Parker, don't do this. Merritt is using you. You get one moment and he's gonna watch you to make sure you do it right. What kind of trust is that? Where's the satisfaction in that?"

"Shut up," Parker barked.

Olivia looked back at him. She fell right into Elliot's game. "Parker, he's right. Let's work something out. "

"Oh but we are." Parker pressed the knife to her throat while controlling her from behind. She tried to make Parker's job as hard as possible, but was still forced to bend over the table in front of Elliot.

"No," Elliot weakly cried. "Rook, this isn't you! You don't do this."

"That's right, I don't, Elliot," Merritt said as he watched with a bag of popcorn and his gun pointed in Kathy's direction. "But you will."

Olivia chocked back a sob when she realized she was completely defenseless and her only love was about to get tainted by the evil of the world.

Elliot attempted to break the metal chair with the jerk of his body weight. The more he moved the faster that little blue pill seemed to take effect on his body. A warm tingling sensation moved its' way to the center of his pelvis. The throb came on like a hot wave. He clenched his eyes closed and tried to mentally force the urge to go away. "Nooooo….."

Olivia hands were still tied behind her back. She could hear Elliot, but didn't dare speak. Her mind raced with ways to escape.

Parker smashed her face into the table. "Spread'm."

"What…"

Her legs were instinctually clenched shut under her skirt.

"Spread you legs."

The beat of her heart was pounding against the metal of the table.

"Elliot…"

"Olivia, don't do it. Please, don't hurt her."

Parker lifted her skirt with his free hand.

"Liv! I'm right here! Stay strong!"

"I know."

"Keep still, you stupid bitch." Parker pulled her legs apart and ran his hands down her legs. He made sure to touch as much as he could in the process of untying her hands and hand cuffing the left arm to one table leg and her left leg to the other. She lay face down on the table unable to find a way out of it. The whole time, Parker touched her as she squirmed and yelped in a panic.

"Like that, Stabler," he laughed with a wheeze and a cough. His hand rubbed her from behind. "I always knew you had a fine ass, Benson."

Elliot's head twisted and turned with rage. His stomach was about to upend itself. Olivia was now completely quiet with a gentle sob every now and again. An act that only meant she had given up. He lost control. Manically he moved around in the chair until it flipped on its side. The gun in the booth went off releasing a scream from Kathy.

"Ah….god, why are you doing this to me?" Elliot lay on his side now. His face was buried into the cement floor beneath him.

Rook's voice taunted him again. "The more you fight it…the worse it gets. Parker is a messed up individual. I won't stop him."

Kathy's right and left arms both bled from the bullets.

When he was finished having his way with Olivia's skin he walked over to Elliot and looked down at the bulge between his legs. "It doesn't get any better than this. Total control. Mind, body, and soul."

"You have to take mine, because you don't have one of your own," he grunted.

Parker's dirty work boots came inches from Elliot's face. Then without warning he was kicked.

"Awww…why are you doing this…."

"I'm making you a man, smart ass." Parker then bent down and started untying Elliot's restraints. As soon as his chest was free he head butted Parker in the face and kicked him into the wall.

Another gunshot went off behind the window. Olivia screamed. "Elliot, stop!"

Her face was in perfect view of Kathy, whose leg was now bleeding from the fresh bullet hole. Her face was a poster for pain.

"Go ahead, Stabler," Merritt yelled. "Keep that up and she's dead. Along with your little girlfriend in there. Don't think I won't do it. Just ask Kurt."

Elliot stood up and froze. His hands remained tied behind his back and he watched Parker rise in the corner. His nose was bloody from the blow.

Parker punched Elliot in the face again. This time Elliot took the blow and didn't move. He blinked away with his head slumped over.

Olivia bent her knees and wiggled her skirt back over herself.

But not for long.

Parker pulled a gun from the back of his belt and held it at Elliot's head as he cut the ropes from his hands.

"Unzip your pants."

Elliot was slowly being pushed towards Olivia. He closed his eyes and opened them again hoping that he would wake up.

"Unzip your pants!" Parker yelled.

Olivia placed her forehead on the metal table. Her stillness was that of defeat. "Elliot, just do it. I'm fine. I'll be okay," she sobbed.

"Unzip your pants, you freak!" Parker was jamming the gun into the back of his head.

Another shot went off behind the window. Elliot jumped from the sound.

"Do as he says," Merritt ordered.

Tears of frustration fell from Elliot's eyes. He closed his eyes one more time and unzipped the front of his slacks.

Parker slapped the thick of his gun on Elliot's head. "Do it."

He walked forward. Olivia's chest convulsed on the table as she cried.

"Liv…"

"DO it!"

Elliot reached the back of her and stopped just centimeters from her touch.

"I can't…"

"What are you gay! Lift up her fucking skirt and put it in. NOW!"

Merritt tapped on the glass window to make Elliot look at Kathy's slowly bleeding body. "I'm out of limbs."

"Elliot- just do what he says," Olivia pleaded. The hair stuck to the side of her face from the tears. He hated himself. He wasn't about to do what these assholes wanted. She could sense he was thinking of his options and before she felt his touch she heard…

"Liv, pretend for me…'pretend' it's not happening."

"Shut up." Parker's gun nudged him again.

Elliot lifted the skirt without letting anything underneath show. "Fake it for them."

Carefully he faked entering her. She cried out on cue. He moved his hips and every now and again she felt his skin touch her. It was oddly comforting. Yet, she couldn't help but cry from humiliation. After a second of half hardily getting into it his eyes focused on anything that wasn't Olivia and his hands were glued to the table as he awkwardly pushed himself between Olivia's skirt and the table.

"Come on, Stabler, you can do better than that. Grab her hips."

He refused.

"Grab her fucking hips!"

Elliot's eyes caught Merritt waving a gun at Kathy behind the glass and he placed his hands onto Olivia's hips. She made awful noises. They were all too real. He was never quite sure how real or fake they were, he could only hope that he wasn't hurting her. She cried out with her free hand covering her face and mostly her mouth. She sobbed and shuttered beneath him.

Elliot's eyes twitched to stay focused on anything but her. He leaned over the desk and noticed shards of glass on the ground. He then took a good look at how her one arm and leg were handcuffed to the table. If he could get her on the floor those cuffs would slide off of the legs. The glass would make a fine weapon.

As he thought this Parker pulled him away.

"What are you doing? Humping the metal? You are a complete waste of dick, Stabler."

Parker lifted the skirt and slapped Olivia hard. "Do it for real!"

Olivia yelped and tensed up. She didn't dare look at anyone, especially Elliot. She kept her face hidden in her hand.

"I can't do it that way," Elliot said.

Parker pointed his gun at Elliot's head and Merritt clicked his gun into the microphone.

"No-WAIT," Elliot pleaded. His mind raced for an answer. "I..need… I need to see her face."

He hated having to say that. It was the one thing he didn't want to say, but had to. He knew she just needed to be done with the whole thing, but it was the only way he could think of getting her on the floor.

The gun was then lowered and a smile formed on Parker's lips. "Fine."

Parker reached for the handcuff key.

"Wait, wait…I…on the floor. It'll be easier on the floor…"

Parker shot a glance at Rook who nodded him the "go ahead."

Parker forced Olivia on the ground and re-handcuffed her to the table. It was the first look he'd gotten of her whole face since before their abduction. He could have killed himself right then, had he been given the chance. She was stained and tormented. Her face was red with tears, and her dark hopeful eyes torn. He hated himself for not being able to get them out of this. He could tell she didn't want to look at him, but she did. She took in his helpless eyes with her own, and knew something was up. Or at least hoped.

Once on the floor Parker lifted Olivia's skirt and pointed the gun at her head. "I want to see you do it for real this time. Take you pants down and do it like a man."

Olivia lifted her free hand toward her face, but Parker stepped on her arm. "You heard the man, he wants to see your face."

Her lips quivered and she blinked up towards Elliot. Elliot didn't' dare look at her body. He was much too respectful for that. His light eyes were the only things keeping her with him. "I'm sorry."

"None of that," Parker yelled. He slapped Olivia on the head with his gun and she jerked with pain. Elliot was about to throw his own punch, but Olivia grabbed his legs with her thighs. "Don't, Elliot—Kathy."

She held his gaze again and swallowed her tears for strength. Her strong gaze kept them grounded.

When there were no more options but to do as Parker ordered, his eyes gave her the apologetic glance and assured her that they would make it out of this. Slowly, he entered her, but it wasn't the kind of entrance he'd dreamt of. He'd become so numb from the stress that it was a wonder he could feel her at all. Parker backed up and laughed. "Nice!"

Olivia's eyes pulled away as he moved his hips for the first time. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"It's okay…"

"No talking," Parker yelled from behind them.

Elliot let his eyes glance up and saw that Parker was having his own little pants party in the corner. This was their chance. He looked up at the glass on the floor and he bent over Olivia. His hand non-chalantly rested on the shard.

As his hips moved Olivia tried to relaxed herself knowing that his heart and mind were on a mission to save them from this mess. She noticed his eyes leave hers and knew there was a plan.

Elliot on the other hand was doing everything in his power not to enjoy the feeling between his legs. He pulled the glass towards them and looked back at both Parker and Rook. Rook was leaning back in his chair throwing popcorn into the air and catching it with his mouth. Parker watched them like a hawk, but his mind was a little tied up.

"Stabler, you better make her scream or I'm gonna do it for you!"

His stomach ached with a sickening feeling. He almost stopped, but Olivia started pretending.

She grabbed his wrist with her free hand and cried out for added effect. "Pretend," she mouthed to him.

His eyes dimly lit and he went with it. He then placed the glass into Olivia's hand and reached for a second piece.

Elliot moved his body almost in exaggerated motions to keep Parker focused on the sex. He attempted to move everything but the parts inside of her.

While Parker grew excited Elliot looked for their exit. His eyes guided Olivia to the legs of the table. She glanced up at Parker. He had a good view of her cuffed hand. She decided to create a diversion.

"Oh, god, yes," she moaned. Elliot stopped wide-eyed and startled. She pulled her breast out for more diversion and darted her eyes towards the leg of the table. Elliot snapped his thoughts back to the table.

Parker went wild and so did Elliot, but not for the same reasons. He flung his body up and briefly lifted the table as Olivia pulled the cuff free.

Parker's eyes closed with enjoyment.

Olivia than reached for her leg with the now free cuffed hand and lifted the table over the foot cuff. Elliot wildly moved above her to keep Parker entertained. It was becoming harder and harder for him to remain unexcited though. She too was becoming naturally wet. He watched her go back to the original position as if she'd still been cuffed to the table and if he wasn't mistaken she even moved her hips along with his a few times to take the pressure off of his conscience. Tears still rolled from her eyes every now and again, but Elliot knew they'd get through this. They just had to keep it up long enough to convince Parker and Rook.

Rook wasn't even paying attention anymore. He had placed a video camera on them and started tinkering with his computer. The gun he used on Kathy sat on a chair ten feet away from him.

Olivia acknowledged that she saw what he saw and that she was on the same page as him. They forced themselves to continue, waiting for the perfect moment.

Elliot was about to bust. But that was the only thing he had left, and he refused to share that with Parker. Olivia watched him struggle to contain himself, while she made fake orgasm noises.

"That's it, Benson. Let it out," Parker breathed.

Her eyes closed in a moment of disgust.

"Stay strong," Elliot whispered.

She opened her eyes again, looking to Parker and then back to Elliot. She could see him struggling to continue. "It's okay if you have to," she whispered.

"No," he groaned. "I won't do that to you…us."

They had to hold it. He had to hold it in just long enough. Olivia then forced herself to help him. She caught hold of Parker's eyes and gave him a sexual glance while touching her chest. He grunted wildly. "All right! That's the good stuff!"

Elliot's release was stifled for the moment. "Great…Thanks for that," he whispered.

She almost smiled.

A few more seconds was all they needed. Parker was becoming louder with each stroke.

"_I can do this," Elliot thought to himself._ Just hold it a little longer. Just long enough for Parker to…

"Ahhhh-"

He started.

"Oh thank god," Elliot sighed.

Olivia groaned louder for good measure.

"Yeah!," Parker cried.

Elliot looked up at Parker, whose hands were dirty and eyes were closed.

"Now," he said as he pulled out and dodged for Parker's jugular.

Quickly, he grabbed Parker's gun, while Olivia ran for Kathy.

Rook was already at the gun. He fired towards Kathy's head.

"Noooo," Olivia yelled. She pushed him as the shot went off.

The bullet grazed the side of Kathy's head. She had already bled out pretty badly. Her reaction to the head wound was barely an eye-blink. It was Kathy's final straw. Her head limped over and she passed out.

Rook dropped the gun as he fell and Olivia grabbed for it. She was now in the upper hand, with the gun pointing at Rook. She took one look at Kathy's slowly dying body and Kurt's bloody corpse and fired one shot into his head.

"Holy shit," Parker yelled from behind her. She swung the gun around and fired at Parker unit the round was empty.

Elliot jumped and let Parker's dead weight of a body fall to the ground.

They both stood silent and still, the chilling sounds of rape, screams, and gunfire rang about in the haunting memories of their minds.

Olivia watched Elliot unconsciously judge her and she dropped the gun to turn away from his eyes. But even in judgmental thoughts, he knew he would have done the same thing.

He stood for a moment in the midst of the blood bath. The evil silence was thick. Neither one of them wanted to move for fear it would be real.

And then Kathy coughed, waking them from their shock.

Elliot watched Olivia move towards Kathy's face. He waited for her resilience to break. But it didn't, nor would it. She cut the ropes from his ex-wife and sweetly spoke words of hope into Kathy's ear like a guardian angle. And it was this kind of moment that Elliot needed her for. It was what she knew. It was his other half. It was why he loved her.

Her kindness painted a hue around Kathy's quickly bleeding life. It was the kind of kindness that healed. It represented her greatest quality and her biggest flaw; Elliot began to sob. For what she had in resilience, he lacked.

His breakdown was quiet…still.

**An: Bring in da noise.**


	7. I'm Yours

**AN: Hey kiddos, it's been a long time. I apologize Mamma Scarlet has been going through some hard core shit! Like huge piles of SHIT! I still am, but Fanfiction will distract me from it until I find the magic 8 ball with all the right answers. See Scar shaking random balls "Try Again? FUCK YOU magic 8 ball!" **

**Anyway, I need an escape, so I'm forcing myself to wrap up some of my open ended stories I let you all with. I miss you guys. I hope you remember what this story is even about. Cause I don't. HA! Kidding. This is the last chapter. It's probably about three chapters long, and I hope you aren't confused. Some things to know- READ the time frames! Otherwise you will be Lost with a capital L. **

**Drop me some lines and e-mail me. I need an excuse to write you back. Like seriously, I need some lov'n. Some Fanfic pen pal lov'n. And some time killage! Kill my time beotches! Kill it!**

**Later Home Fries!**

**Scar**

**I'm Yours**

**Mother's Day 2016**

**St. Francis Library for Children**

Elliot stood at the front desk of the freshly painted library, watching the small gathering of people munch on party snacks and converse about the weather.

"I've just been raped by the vending machine," Elizabeth said, she walked towards him and stopped just shy of his elbow. She was sipping on a can of Coke.

Elliot gave her a scolding glare.

"What? Oh-" She handed him his change, which consisted of one quarter and thought nothing of it.

His brow furrowed.

"What? The can was two dollars and seventy-five cents. I'll pay you back when I find my purse. You seriously need to see Kathleen's trunk, it looks like a trash heap was dumped in it. I may never find my purse again. Why, I've been raped twice today. Once by Kathleen's car and now by the rising cost of food inflation."

"Could you not joke about rape please."

"I…" Her dad turned his face away from her and crossed his arms, avoiding further conversation on the matter.

"Geez…sorry."

"Why don't you go see if Maureen needs help with Grandma?"

Elizabeth gave him an equally furrowed brow and walked towards the crowd of people near the podium. Maureen and Elliot's mother sat in a few folding chairs as they waited for the grand opening ceremony to begin. Elizabeth shuffled her way over to them and slouched onto an open seat.

Elliot ruffled the gray hair on the back of his head and closed his eyes. If brooding were an option right now, he'd have chosen to do so.

"I can feel you twitching from the parking lot," Olivia piped in. She came up from behind him, touching his arm. Her eyes were still red from the earlier argument.

"I suddenly have no idea who my kids are," Elliot breathed. "It's like I blinked and they grew up with no manners and a crass sense of humor. Where did I go wrong?"

"Wrong," she added with held back thoughts on his military disciplinary tactics. "Don't be a drama queen, I'm as much to blame, yet I will admit I'm starting to become numb to the idea that we probably screwed up our youngest son for at least a good ten years. Is that bad?"

She looked up at him waiting for a rhetorical answer.

"Bad, wrong, what's that mean anyway?" He pulled her into his side and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Maybe you're right. I sheltered them too much."

She shrugged in agreement but felt the need to playcad him for ego sake. "I'm sure it was best to shelter them a little. Lord knows I wouldn't wish my nightmares on anyone."

He kissed her again this time on the forehead and held her tightly for support. "I'll share a nightmare with you any day, my lady."

As she leaned up to kiss his lips Dickie and Liam, Elliot's brother, walked into the building like two of America's most wanted Bachelors.

"Rent a room, you two," Liam grinned through his thick Irish lilt.

"Hey," Elliot smiled, giving him a one-armed man hug. "Didn't think you were making it today."

"Ah, well, Mum, left her meds on the table. I figured I'd stop by for a wee bit. Plus, haven't seen my man, Dickie here in ages."

Dickie tilted his head up in manly agreement. "I can drink now."

"What was stopping ya' before," He joked.

"Don't you teach my step son bad habits, Liam Stabler," Olivia added, only to be hugged and lifted off the ground by the strapping fine hunk of Irish man.

"It's too late for that Step Mum. Ah-Happy Mother's Day you sassy she devil!"

They all had a good laugh and before the conversation could continue the main speaker for the event stepped up to the podium. "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being here today. Can we all gather towards the back please?"

Elliot grabbed Olivia's hand as they headed inside.

"Where's Eli," Olivia said searching the room.

Elliot glanced over at Maureen, Elizabeth, and Grandma Stabler who sat alone in the corner. The young boy's shaggy head was nowhere to be found. "Probably with Kathleen and…Hey, Dick, have you seen your brother?"

"He was with you the last time I saw him."

The ceremony officially began and Elliot contemplated whether he should stay or leave in search for Eli.

"I'll go," Olivia said, dropping his hand.

She headed for the door.

"No, Liv."

"You need to stay here for Kathy. I'll go look for him."

**The Past**

**June 19, 2008**

**Mount Sinai Hospital**

**Manhattan**

The paramedics wheeled Kathy towards the emergency room. The six wounds bled out leaving her in an almost unconscious state. Olivia and Elliot ran closely behind the stretcher watching the drops of blood hit the ground.

"She's gonna be okay right," Elliot breathlessly asked the nurse closest to them.

"We'll do our best."

Once in the ER, they were stopped by the nurse and pointed to the glass window. Machines bleeped. The doctors quickly worked. Kathy's coloring was pale and ghostly. She blinked her eyes and whispered for Olivia.

"Liv…Olivia…"

Olivia hesitated to enter the room. She turned to Elliot for an answer but he remained stagnant. His fingers griped the edge of the wall. His eyes glued themselves to the glass in front of him.

**Present**

**Mother's Day 2016**

**St. Francis Library for Children**

"The church of St. Francis would now like to present this plaque of recognition to the founder of our reading corner for children in foster care, the late, Kathy Stabler."

Elliot walked toward the podium. He shook the speaker's hand and cleared his throat to make a small speech on behalf of Kathy. Olivia caught the corner of his eye as she walked through the parking lot outside. He fidgeted nervously, wishing he could take his eyes from her. Her frantic cries for Eli brought on flashbacks of bad memories. He shook them away and began. "Kathy would have been honored that you've taken her idea to such great lengths…"

**Past**

**June 19, 2008**

**Mount Sinai Hospital**

**Manhattan**

She could hear Kathy calling for her again.

"Go," Elliot said.

She gave him a look as though to say _", you should be with her."_

"She needs you. Go."

Olivia pushed through the ER doors.

**Present**

**Mother's Day 2016**

**St. Francis Library for Children**

"Eli!"

Olivia walked around the parking lot of the Library after checking everyone's car.

"ELI!"

"Olivia, over here!" Liam walked towards her from the other side of the building and they both started to jog for the highway.

As they hit the sidewalk near the street, Eli could be seen dangling his feet from the overpass above the fast moving traffic.

"ELI STABLER!," Olivia called out. Her temper went straight into angry mama bear

mode. "Come DOWN from there!"

"No! I hate you!"

"Don't say things you'll regret later, Eli!"

"You don't know me. Why would I regret it!"

**Past**

**June 19, 2008**

**Mount Sinai Hospital**

**Manhattan**

"I know you better than you think, Olivia Benson. I know you'll take good care of my family."

Olivia got as close to Kathy as she could. Her eyes were the only color left on her face

"Don't say that. You're gonna pull through this."

"It's my turn to say it. Liv, it's okay."

"Kathy, you're gonna be fine."

"It's okay…tell them I love them…"

"I won't need to, because you're going to tell them…You're gonna be fine."

"No, _you're_ gonna be fine…they'll trust you…I trust you."

"We're losing her," the doctor said.

"No," Olivia cried out helplessly. For a second she turned to Elliot for support, but he was glared up behind the glass. She squeezed Kathy's hand and convulsed into sobs. The room became blurry and black. "Kathy, don't you leave me!"

**Present**

**Mother's Day 2016**

**St. Francis Library for Children**

"Leave me alone!," Eli snapped from above the highway.

"I will not leave you alone. Get down form there now!," Olivia yelled.

"Why should I!?"

"Hey," Liam interrupted. "Don' be a bugger, get yar arse down here b'for I haf ta cum up thare an' break ya' a new wone!"

Liam's Irish accent grew thick when he was heated. Olivia touched his arm. "It's been a rough morning. Let me handle it."

Eli stood up and yelled over his shoulder as he walked away. "I don't have to listen to any of you. You're not my family."

Olivia started for the stairs that led to the over pass. Liam headed for the other side of the bridge to cut him off. Unfortunately that meant crossing a six-lane highway. The sound of beeping and tire squeals shortly followed.

"Liam!," Olivia scrunched her face as the brut of a man made his way across the traffic like a super hero in a Frogger video game.

Eli started to run and then paused when he realized he was about to be trapped. His eyes stopped on the metal arcs holding the bridge together and quickly he began climbing them.

"ELI!," Olivia screamed.

He climbed about 40 feet in the air and stopped. The wind blew his hair all about and he held onto the metal beam, too freaked out to go any further.

"Come back down," Olivia pleaded. "You're gonna hurt yourself. If you come down, I'll tell you everything you want to know."

"No you won't." His arms began to shake and he wrapped himself around the rectangular beam.

"Yes, I will, sweetheart. Please, I couldn't bare it if you fell. Please come back down."

He looked at her. Her face was red with tears.

"Tell me she's not my mother."

Olivia looked over at the school library. Her stomach was in a thousand knots. She needed Elliot.

"I…"

"See, you're not gonna tell me," he yelled. His shoe slipped on the bolt holding his foot steady and the I-Pod in his pocket went plummeting towards the ground.

Olivia gasped when the electronic piece of metal exploded at her feet.

"Watch your footing! You're right! She's not…She's not your mother,"

"Oliv-" Liam puffed towards them out of breath. The words coming from her mouth stopped him in his tracks. "What are yea' doin'?"

She ignored him and held her gaze towards Eli's dark brown eyes. "She's not your biological mother, Eli."

"Who is?"

Liam touched Olivia's arm. "You don't want to tell him like this?"

"Yes, she does. Tell me what?!"

"Ah…Eli, I'll tell you when you're not hanging over a highway. Now please get down off of there."

"I won't until you tell me."

She held her head in painful frustration. This conversation was the one thing she'd actually practiced telling him, and yet the words were nowhere to be found. She stuttered over the sounds of traffic and noise. "Remember…remember when I was trying to make you a baby brother or sister and I couldn't?"

"Yeah…"

"And how I went to the doctor because my body wasn't healthy enough to have the baby?"

Slowly Eli slid down the beam a little as he listened. "Yeah…"

He stopped again and waited for her to finish. "And do you remember when…Aunt Casey was going to have the baby for me, because my body wouldn't hold a baby? Do you remember that time? You were four."

"The legos in the waiting room."

"Right, that time. Well…Kathy was like Aunt Casey. She had you, but you weren't hers. And instead of giving the baby to the mom that you belonged to she-."

"She stole me?"

"No. No. No, she didn't know you weren't hers. It was a mistake."

"So I was a mistake."

"No! Just-"

Traffic on the bridge was beginning to stop. Elliot's voice could be heard from afar. "Liv!"

Eli looked down at the library where his father was now starting to run from and pulled himself a little higher.

"So why did Kathy take me home? Didn't my real mother want me anymore?"

"No," Olivia sniffed. "You're real mother always wanted you." She looked up at his face. It was the spitting image of her own. His full cheeks were red from the wind, and his eyes stayed glued to hers. They were intense and angry. She'd fought to keep him from ever holding that kind of disserted anger and yet, no matter how hard she and Elliot had tried to make his life happy and normal there was nothing that could be done now except the god awful truth.

A man from the highway stopped and handed out his phone. "Do you need help? I can call the cops!"

"No," Liam said. "Cahn't ye see they're hav'n a mom'en."

"Eli, the doctors made a mistake, but not you or your mom…or Kathy. When Kathy went in to help give a baby to a woman like myself, she wasn't supposed to be like Aunt Casey. She was there for another procedure but instead…they accidentally made her pregnant with another Mom's baby. And that baby was you. But you weren't an accident. You were just…birthed before your time."

"But that doesn't make sense."

"I know, it's complicated. Why don't you come down and we can talk about it over ice cream or cookies or what ever you want."

Eli hesitated and then began to put his foot down to the next bolt on the beam.

"That's it, careful now."

Elliot reached the top of the stairs and sprinting towards them. "Eli Stabler!"

Eli stopped and went back up to the bolt he'd just came from. "I'm not coming down if you're angry!"

"Elliot calm down," Olivia said pushing him to the side.

"Tell me who she is?"

"What?," Olivia said slightly panicked that he went back up instead of coming down.

"Tell me who my mom is?"

"Eli," Elliot yelled.

"I want to know," Eli pleaded. His hands were beginning to get tired and he slid unexpectedly.

"AH!"

And then stopped as he caught himself.

"Oh my god! Eli, you're gonna fall!," Olivia shreaked.

"Tell me!"

**Fade to the past. It's one week after Kathy's death. 2009**

"Elliot."

"Yes!"

Elliot jumped when the ADA came into the hallway and called him into the courtroom.

"Jesus, look like you just saw a ghost," laughed the chubby suited man.

"Not yet," he replied.

The next few weeks had remained distant between he and Olivia. She stayed in town for Kathy's funeral and then disappeared claiming she needed time. Elliot felt like he'd lost everything in his life. He moped amongst the boxes in his new apartment too haunted to go to his house in Queens. The twins and Eli stayed with his mother. Kathleen started college. Every night he dreamt of Olivia, but he dared not call her. She demanded her space until the trial ended. Constantly he would check his cell phone, call the precinct, and every now and again he'd stop on the 3rd floor and stare at her door hoping to run into her coming or going. But for two weeks…nothing.

Now the time came for law and order to present the next chapter of their lives. Elliot walked up to the bench and told his side of the story. His eyes nervously looked at the courtroom door, but she never entered. After he was released the doors opened to an empty hallway.

"Olivia Benson, " called the court official.

"I'm sure she's just running a few minutes behind-"

"I'm here. Sorry, I'm here."

Olivia came jogging in from the street.

"Liv."

"Hey…," He face was nervously awkward toward him, but he knew that only meant she still loved him.

"I'll wait for you," Elliot said as he held the door open for her.

"That's not necessary."

"I'll wait out here."

"Elliot, I'll call you another day."

"Okay, fine." He lightly grabbed her arm and pulled her ear close to his mouth. "Liv, whatever you need I'll do. I'll wait forever, but please don't make it too long."

Her eyes wanted to fall for him all over again, but she held herself together and turned towards the courtroom. "Go home."

"You are my home."

"Go, Elliot."

But he didn't. He wasn't gonna end this without a fight. When court was released, she walked out and immediately found herself in his gaze.

"You and me, lunch."

"Elliot, I have plans."

"Change them."

"I have plans."

"Plans? What could be more important than us? Liv, you're all I want. You're all I have. You know this is meant to be, don't let a sick criminal ruin your life…our lives."

She started walking away and he followed her. "Liv, come on, you can't tell me that you don't trust me. I've been going out of my mind checking my voice mail, sitting in front of your door. Where have you been?"

"Simons."

"This is a bad situation, I get it. But you were with me. We went through that torture together. We got out of it together. We're going to over come this…together."

He knew that she got it. Her hand touched his just as Melinda broke it up.

"Elliot, I have to talk to you."

"It can wait."

"No, it can't. I need to talk to you outside, and alone."

Elliot grabbed Olivia's hand. It was the first time he'd done something that outrageous in public, in the courthouse, in front of a co-worker.

"What are you-" Melinda pulled the two apart and turned in all directions making sure that nobody else's eyes just saw what hers saw.

"Melinda, I'm sorr-" Olivia was too embarrassed to speak about it. "I've got a catch the subway before one o'clock. Ellio-yeah, good-bye."

Olivia bolted for the doors leading out into the streets. Melinda held Elliot from following her. "You need to give it a rest until this all blows over. Otherwise the jury may not be so forgiving with Olivia's charges."

"Fuck the jury. Our case is crystal clear. Right?"

They headed for the sidewalk Melinda led Elliot to a nearby park as they talked. "I need you to with hold permission to release Eli's Paternity test."

"But that will convict Merritt."

"No it won't."

"What do you mean it won't?"

"Eli is not Merritt's son."

"Okay, so how will that hurt Olivia?"

"Or Kathy's son."

"What are saying?"

"I'm saying if you release that information, Olivia will be at an even greater risk of being charged with murder. Her prints are all over the gun that killed Merritt, Parker, and Kathy. And this information…this information is more harmful than anything…"

"I already testified on her behalf and mine, that should be enough. Come on, what does Eli have to do with it?"

Melinda grabbed his arm and pulled his eye contact into hers. "When did you know about Olivia's trip to the fertility clinic?"

"I…What?"

"Don't play coy. I've done my homework. The Anonymous Donor's paper work led me straight to your examination. I don't care if she knew or not. I don't know how or why you did it, nor can I even guess what the odds are of Kathy being tied into the equation, but that baby that Rook planted…was Olivia's."

Elliot remained silent.

"She's tied to Merritt's con, Elliot. And so are you…if you allow this evidence to be released, even if you do convince the jury, your pensions, your livelihood, your jobs…you can kiss that all good-bye."

"I…she didn't know…that I did that. Nobody knew. It was supposed to be anonymous! Hence 'Anonymous Donor'"

"And it is…to an extent. They have to keep some information for the child's safety and knowledge."

Elliot was again too taken for words. "So…Liv and I…Eli is….yeah know, I never thought it would actually happen. I just didn't want her to raise a stranger's child. I wanted her to be happy and the baby to be healthy–"

"Well, I'm sure your thoughts were innocent, but I doubt she sees it that way. I know I'd be pissed."

"Pissed? She won't be…does she know?"

Melinda shook her head. The silent "No" caused a chain reaction in Elliot's adrenaline. "Well, we gotta tell her."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

Elliot whipped out his cell phone. "We should tell her… you should. Call her. Call her right now! I gotta go!"

"Where are you going?!"

"I gotta find her!"

He handed Melinda the phone and ran towards the subway. "Here! Tell her. Tell her I'm on my way! Convince her it's a good thing Melin! You're good at that!"

Elliot sprinted towards the subway station and Melinda stood completely dumbfounded in the middle of the park holding his phone.

"Elliot?"

"Liv, it's Melinda."

**Present**

**Mother's Day 2016**

**The over pass on Queen's Expressway.**

"Eli, you're my son!"

Elliot stopped in his tracks. Liam backed up. He, along with Elizabeth, Maureen, and Dickie was as surprised as Eli. The family knew Eli wasn't blood related, but they didn't know the details of it.

Eli remained silent, along with the rest of the small crowd formed on the bridge.

"Eli?," Olivia cried out. "Are you okay? Are your arms getting tired?"

"I don't believe you!"

Olivia's heart tightened and she held on to the bottom of the beam that he hung from. "I know it doesn't make sense to you, but it's the truth."

Eli began to shake as she talked. He could tell she wasn't lying by the look on Elliot's face. "Who's my father?!"

"I am," Elliot sighed loudly. "Eli, we're your parents."

"No you're not!"

"Eli, sweety," Olivia soothingly spoke. "I know it's difficult to understand, which is why we hadn't told you, and you have a good reason to be upset, but think of all the odds that you beat to be here. It's miraculous when you think about it. You're my miracle baby. "

"You lied to me," Eli cried. "Why wouldn't you just tell me?"

Olivia climbed up to the first rung of the beam. "I wanted to. I wanted to everyday. But you wouldn't have understood and for a long time I couldn't tell you."

"You should have told me! Why would you make me believe that I was somebody else's? Don't you love me!" Eli was now crying and shaking.

"Very much," She sobbed. "I love you more than anything in this world, I'm begging you to believe me. Please, come down to me. I'm begging you- please! Sweetheart, you're only going to hurt yourself more."

"I don't understand why you did this to me."

By this point a crowd of people were forming around the area. Even Grandma Stabler hobbled on through.

Olivia climbed to the first part of the beam and held her face in Eli's direction. She leaned on the dirty metal and spoke to him as though they were the only two people in the world.

"Eli, there are a lot of things we will never understand. But there's something to be said about the ties that bind us all together….

**Cross fade both the past and the present. **

**We see Elliot in the past pushing through the crowds of people on the streets of New York. 2009**

**It's time for a music Montague. Song "I'm Yours" Jason something or other- You know it!**

_Well you done done me and you bet I felt it_

_**I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted**_

_**I fell right through the cracks**_

Olivia stood on the steps of the subway with her cell phone to her ear. She was halfway under ground. People pushed all around her to get by, but she stayed frozen as Melinda revealed to her the truth. "How do you know?"

Elliot passed the 42nd street entrance that Olivia stood in and headed for the one across the street.

_**and now I'm trying to get back**_

**Fade to Olivia and Eli on the Bridge. 2016. **

"If I had known my biological father I would have never become an SVU detective. If I never had become a detective I would have never met your father, who became my best friend and my one true love. Had he not been married to Kathy I would have married him a lot younger or left him a lot sooner. I may have had a dozen children, with or without your dad, of which none of them would have been you."

**Fade to Elliot running through the subway. 2009**

_**Before the cool done run out**_

_**I'll be giving it my bestest**_

**Cut to Olivia in the subway stairwell. 2009**

_**Nothing's going to stop me but divine intervention**_

_**I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some**_

"And he knows?"

"He's coming for you right now," Melinda answered.

"He is…" Olivia dropped the phone and looked around.

**Fade to Olivia on the Bridge. 2016**

"Had your father not been so snoopy he would have never known I went to the fertility clinic, and would have never secretly volunteered to help me make you. His last name wouldn't have appeared on that veil of eggs and the nurse wouldn't have given them to Kathy. Either way you could have grown up never knowing who gave you your brown hair or your blue eyes."

**Fade to Olivia. 2009**

A man in a suit stopped Olivia and handed her the blue blackberry cell phone. "You dropped this ma'm."

She was so rattled she could barely answer him. "Th..anks…," was all she could muster before dodging into the subway station and heading for the platform.

_**I won't hesitate no more, no more**_

_**It cannot wait, I'm yours**_

**Cut to Elliot. 2009**

"Olivia! Olivia Benson!"

Elliot pushed through the crowd grabbing women with short hair every now and again to make sure it wasn't her.

**Fade to Olivia. 2016**

"Had a drunk driver not hit into the side of my car the day you were born, I wouldn't have been the first person to see your bright shining face as it entered the world. I wouldn't have held you in my arms as we road to the hospital, and Kathy would have never become one of my good friends."

**Fade to Elliot. 2009**

Elliot pushed through the crowd. "Liv!"

He couldn't find her.

**Cut to Olivia 2009**

She too searched the underground platforms. "He could be anywhere," she said out loud to herself.

_**Well open up your mind and see like me**_

_**Open up your plans and damn you're free**_

_**Look into your heart and you'll find love love love love**_

**Fade to Olivia 2016**

"I would have missed your first birthday and your christening. I would have only known of you through pictures and stories. And had Kathy died that day, your father may have quit his job and remarried the woman in the immigration office."

She looked back at Elliot with a warm-hearted smirk.

"I'll never live that down, will I," he blushed.

"Never," she smiled, returning her focus to their son. "Eli, even after all of that. Even after I got to be a part of your life, a force greater than any of us here found a way to bring us even closer together. Was it a good force? Was it a happy ending?"

**Fade to Elliot 2009**

Elliot and Olivia walked past a band of street performers each on opposite sides. The drums and horns blared over their cries.

_**Listen to the music of the moment people dance and sing**_

_**We're just one big family**_

_**And It's our God-forsaken right to be loved love loved love loved**_

Still through all the chaos he turned his head and she turned hers…

**Fade to Olivia 2016**

" There are a lot of things I'd like to change about the past. Things that I wished I hadn't witnessed or chosen or lived through. All of these things can be viewed as terrible awful mistakes and misfortunes or maybe…just maybe, they were meant to happen. I'd like to think they were meant to happen. Because Eli, I wouldn't trade you for the world. I wouldn't trade you for one regretful moment of my life. I wouldn't trade you for any child I could have made. I love you. And I always have. And in my mind, you've always been my son."

_**So I won't hesitate no more, no more **_

**Fade to Olivia and Elliot 2009**

Olivia caught his eyes and simultaneously they half walked/half jogged towards each other. He didn't have to say a word. Her eyes were filled with admiration and pain and wonderment all wrapped up in one. He touched the side of her face and a silent "_I found you," s_eemed to whisper to her from his eyes.

In which, she replied by bringing his lips into hers.

_**It cannot wait I'm sure**_

_**There's no need to complicate **_

_**Our time is short**_

_**This is our fate, I'm yours**_

The band erupted with extravagant rifts and sounds as the two lost souls united in front of them.

"So it's true," she yelled over the noise.

"It's true if you want it to be."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why would you do that? Why would you give me that kind of gift? You were married."

"Because I love you."

**Fade to Olivia and Elliot 2016**

Olivia reached for her son and Elliot lifted his hand up for support. Eli looked at his mom, the mom that he'd always known, and slowly made his way down the beam and into her arms.

Several cop cars were pulling up to the side of the road, and all of the Stabler's were in tears. Even grandma Stabler was wiping the mascara from her eyes.

Olivia held him like she'd never let him go. They stayed that way for a long while and then Olivia pulled his face away and kissed him on the forehead.

"I'm sorry," he said to her genuinely.

"No, I'm sorry," she whispered.

The crowd started to dissipate once Eli was on solid ground.

**Fade to Past. Elliot and Olivia in the subway. 2009**

Elliot lifted Olivia into his arms and carried her onto the subway. She turned a shade of red as he placed her in a seat and kissed her hand…and then her arm, and lightly grazed her shoulder...

_**Scooch on over closer dear**_

_**and i will nibble your ear**_

**Present 2016**

**Parking Lot of the St. Francis Library**

Olivia held Eli close to her side and Elliot held them close from behind. The three of them walked together in a quiet calm. As they reached the mini van Elliot turned towards the group of Stabler's walking behind them and smiled. "Anyone want ice cream?"

Dickie lifted a brow towards Eli. "Sounds like a damn fine plan to me."

"Where's Kathleen," Elizabeth said as she searched her grandmother's purse for some money.

"Good question," Elliot said scanning the parking lot.

"Well we know she's not on the overpass," Eli joked.

They didn't laugh.

"Too soon?"

Olivia smiled, "You've definitely got your father's comic timing."

Now they laughed.

"Hey," Elliot grinned. He reached for his cell phone to call Kathleen's number when her car pulled up behind them and her window rolled down.

**Past 2009**

**Olivia's Apartment**

The two of them sat in the middle of her couch starring at the small photo of Eli in Elliot's wallet.

"He has your cheeks…and your nose."

"Your eyes," she said glancing up at him with a smile.

He lightly kissed her nose. "I can't believe I never put it together."

"Yeah, Detective, how you could have missed that," she said lightly jabbing him in the side.

"Beyond me, sweetheart," he said in a film noir voice. Olivia smiled as she nuzzled under his chin. He rubbed the side of his face into her hair. The feeling was comforting for the both of them.

And he breathed in the smell of her organic scent hair. "Mmm…The dark hair. We couldn't figure out why he has such dark hair."

"Well now you do. Does he drool when he sleeps?"

"Just like you," he smiled.

Elliot held her close to his chest and she gripped the photo lovingly. His fingers teased the back of her hand. Without much thought to it she webbed her hand into his and he kissed the top of her forehead.

"You know…"

"What," he answered.

"We are forgetting about one big thing," she softly said.

"What's that?"

"Well…we've pretty much lived together, dated together, almost died together, kissed together, procreated together, but there is on thing we haven't done…"

She could feel him smelling her hair again and she turned up to touch the nap of his neck with her lips.

"If you say so," he said with a shit ass grin.

She stopped in his eyes for a brief moment. Not necessarily to think about the act but to capture the moment before. It was the last time she wanted to look at him with a rosey glow. She was ready to make this team official.

**_I won't hesitate no more, no more_**

**_It cannot wait, I'm sure_**

**_There's no need to complicate_**

**_Our time is short_**

**_This is our fate, I'm yours_**

"Besides…I can't think of one thing that I'd rather give to you, that would be better than what we already have." As she sweetly spoke to him her lips came teasingly close to his own and her hand followed the ripple of his chest then stopped on the button of his jeans.

**_Our time is short_**

**_This is our fate, I'm yours_**

Elliot pulled away for a brief moment and took the picture of their son from her hands. He placed it carefully on the coffee table in front of them and lifted his eyes towards the small of Olivia's belly. Gently he leaned in and lifted the bottom of her jersey like work shirt. His lips kissed the area around her stomach and he smiled.

"I can."

"You can what?"

"Think of something I've always wanted to give you." Then he pulled her into his embrace and lifted her into the bedroom.

**Fade one last time to the present **

The group of Stablers all turned as Kathleen's old 2009 Hondai Accent sputtered behind them.

A little girl with curly brown hair sat in the front seat next to Kathleen and she poked her head out of the window with a high pitched giggled. "Happy Mom's Day, Mama!"

"June Bug!" Olivia smiled. She reached into the window and kissed the five-year on the cheek. "Mmmm, Mama missed you. Did you have a fun sleepover?!"

"Yes."

Elliot leaned in and kissed his little girl, while glancing at Kathleen. "Where've you been?"

"Sorry, I thought I left grandma's meds at home. Traffic was backed up. Must have been an accident on the bridge."

"Something like that."

Eli blushed a bit and Elliot pulled him into a side hug to let him know he was still greatly loved.

"So everything went well then?," Kathleen casually asked.

Olivia turned around and looked at the lot of them. They were slightly jilted, but things were never better. "Yeah, things went well. Shall we get ice cream!"

Little June got out of the car and jumped excitedly. "YEAY! I wanna ride with you! Eli will play punch buggy with me!"

"Okay," Olivia said winking at Eli. "Well, let's get going before that ice cream melts."

Elliot grabbed June and lifted her into his arms. She squealed and giggled with delight as he sighed into his comfort zone. "I love my kids. And my wife," he said kissing Olivia on the cheek.

The group groaned in unison and before they could move, Uncle Liam grabbed the camera from Elizabeth's hand. "Wait, wiat! Let's get a photo of the Stabler Family. Kathleen, you too."

"Can't this wait until we get to the ice cream place?"

"Nope, this family has already waited long enough."

"Uh," she sighed opening the car door.

Elliot kissed Olivia sweetly as their kids formed up around them. With just one glance the two of them could see their whole lives. The good times and the bad, and in that moment they were happy to have gotten them all.

"Squeeze in," Liam smiled.

He aimed the camera. Elliot and Olivia stood in the center with Eli under Olivia's arm and June on Elliot's hip. Her chubby little kid arms wrapped around Elliot's neck tightly. Dickie and Maureen chummed up next to Olivia right side, and Elizabeth and Kathleen slipped up next to Elliot's left side.

The flash went off and in the small screen of the digital camera they were forever framed.

**AN: Alright I hope didn't hate it. I feel a little out of it for sure. Leave me some reviews and also- Go see "Tropic Thunder" It freak'n kicks asssssss! Lots of ass. Seriously, it saved Tom Cruise. Like this movie is Tom Cruise's Jesus, cause without it, he was ready to be placed in the shitty actor file. For me anyway. Hugs and smooches! Scar**


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